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This is the number that pops up over and over again in a given work, often in seemingly unrelated contexts. Sometimes the number really is significant; sometimes, it's just an in-joke or a [[Stock Shout-Outs|shout-out]]. That is, it's the numeric equivalent of [[Arc Words]].
Compare [[Numerological Motif]], which is about the way numbers are used across multiple works. A good indication that a number is an '''Arc Number''' is that it gets used in [[Numerological Motif]]s that are associated with ''other'' numbers—so in a fantasy world whose arc number is twelve, there might be twelve deadly sins, twelve levels of hell, and an ice cream chain that sells twelve flavors at a time. Also, a sufficiently influential work may be the [[Trope Maker]] for a [[Numerological Motif]] involving its
{{examples}}
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== [[Literature]] ==
* In the [[Dragaera]] books, everything related to the Dragaeran Empire comes in 17, or in powers of 17. All novels in the series have 17 or 34 chapters, a custom that began by accident.
* All significant numbers in the [[Discworld]] gravitate towards <s>7a</s> 8. There's an eighth color in the spectrum, being the eighth son of an eighth son makes you a wizard (and a wizard's eighth son is a [[
* ''[[Illuminatus]]!'' does this with 5 and 23, and to a slightly lesser extent 17. 5 is mostly associated with [[Illuminati|the Bavarian Illuminati]] and 23 with [[Discordia|the Discordians]] (though there are exceptions in both directions). It specifically adds two extra elements to the Hegelian triad of thesis, antithesis, and synthesis: parenthesis and paralysis.
* ''[[Foucault's Pendulum]]'' does it with 120.
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** He ends up piloting a ship that can travel at a top speed of Mach 86; the next-fastest ships around can at best go only at Mach 64.
** Mitchell and Eliot, while fleeing for their lives, end up on board Flight #864. In a hurry to flee, but going only so fast. {{spoiler|([[Ciem Webcomic Series|They're not the only ones]] to escape danger on that flight number.)}}
* Tolkien juggled around a whole bunch of neat numbers that kept cropping up, but this seems less intended to mean something and more characteristic of fairy-tales and mythology in general. Magic rings come in sets of three, seven, nine, or one. There are five wizards, and a fellowship of nine. Oh, and thirteen dwarves (plus one hobbit, picked for the lucky number), seven gods plus seven goddesses, and three Silmarilli, going beyond [[The Lord of the Rings]]. Tolkien sure liked primes. Also, nine.
{{quote|"Seven stars and seven stones / And one white tree."}}
* Both 12 and 13 (and their multiples) in ''[[Midnighters]]''.
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** "Septimus" means 7 in Latin.
** The books are about a seventh son of a seventh son, who will have amazing '''Magykal''' powers.
* The number nine shows up quite often in the ''[[Nevermoor]]'' series:
** Morrigan joins Unit 919 at the Wunderous Society.
** There are nine new recruits each year.
** The Wunderous Society has nine floors.
** Nine books are planned in the series.
== [[Live-Action TV]] ==
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