Question: I would like to be able to use the enumerate command, but I want to begin my numbers at a number other than one. I would also like to be able to increment my numbers however I want to. 

Example:

9.

10.

12.

18.

Is there a way to do this? Thanks so much in advance.

Answer: 
The number displayed in an `enumerate` environment is controlled with the `enumi` counter. If the `enumerate` is nested in another one, the counter used is rather `enumii`, and so on.

For example,

```
\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}
\begin{enumerate}
    \setcounter{enumi}{8}
    \item First item
    \item Second item
    \stepcounter{enumi}
    \item Third item
    \setcounter{enumi}{17}
    \item Fourth item
    \begin{enumerate}
        \item First subitem
        \setcounter{enumii}{5}
        \item Second subitem
        \item Third subitem
    \end{enumerate}
\end{enumerate}
\end{document}

```

[![](https://i.stack.imgur.com/u1LGR.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/u1LGR.png)

Also, keep in mind that you can always specify manually the label of the item between square brackets. For example, the last output is the same if the lines

```
    \setcounter{enumi}{17}
    \item Fourth item

```

are replaced with

```
    \item[18] Fourth item

```
The simplest way is writing desired item number by hand:

```
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{enumerate}

%---------------- show page layout. don't use in a real document!
\usepackage{showframe}
\renewcommand\ShowFrameLinethickness{0.15pt}
\renewcommand*\ShowFrameColor{\color{red}}
%---------------------------------------------------------------%

\begin{document}
    \begin{enumerate}
\item[9.]
\item[10.]
\item[12.]
\item[18.]
    \end{enumerate}
\end{document}

```