jargon.artrocity.com
New Hacker's Dictionary the Jargon File v 4.4.6
[scientific computation] Output of a computation that may not be significant results but at least indicate that the program is running. May be used to placate management, grant sponsors, etc. Making numbers means running a program because output — any output, not necessarily meaningful output — is needed as a demonstration of progress. See pretty pictures, math-out, social science number.