Seeing music
http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L686
A lesson plan for grades 9–12 Mathematics
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In this lesson students will calculate terms of a geometric sequence to determine frequencies of the chromatic scale. They will then compare sine waves to see and hear the trigonometry behind harmonious and dissonant note combinations. Illuminations provides questions and an activity sheet necessary for completing this lesson. After completing pre-activity questions, students consider the mathematics involved with musical scales. Using an online chromatic scale, a mathematical formula and a calculator, students determine the intersection of sine waves.
Students will:
- Connect musical scales to frequencies generated by a geometric sequence.
- Relate sine waves to musical harmony and dissonance.
NCTM Standards and Expectations:
- Understand and compare the properties of classes of functions, including exponential, polynomial, rational, logarithmic, and periodic functions.
- Use symbolic algebra to represent and explain mathematical relationships.
- Draw reasonable conclusions about a situation being modeled.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
