The choice of random_state=42 is somewhat of a cultural reference and an inside joke in the programming and data science community. Here’s the background and explanation:
Why 42?
Cultural Reference:
The number 42 is famously known as "the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything" from Douglas Adams’ science fiction series "The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy". This reference has made the number 42 a playful, arbitrary choice that many programmers and data scientists use when a random seed is needed.
Consistency:
Since many tutorials and examples use 42, it has become a de facto standard. Using the same random seed can make it easier for others to follow along with examples and verify results.