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NRICH topics: Cross-curricular contexts Music

Resources tagged with: Music

Content type:
Age range:
Challenge level:

There are 13 NRICH Mathematical resources connected to Music, you may find related items under Cross-curricular contexts.

Broad Topics > Cross-curricular contexts > Music

Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Equal Temperament

The scale on a piano does something clever : the ratio (interval) between any adjacent points on the scale is equal. If you play any note, twelve points higher will be exactly an octave on.

Age 14 to 16
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Music to My Ears

Can you predict when you'll be clapping and when you'll be clicking if you start this rhythm? How about when a friend begins a new rhythm at the same time?

Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level Yellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Clapping Times

If you count from 1 to 20 and clap more loudly on the numbers in the two times table, as well as saying those numbers loudly, which numbers will be loud?

Age 5 to 7
Challenge Level Yellow star
Article Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Dancing with Maths

An article for students and teachers on symmetry and square dancing. What do the symmetries of the square have to do with a dos-e-dos or a swing? Find out more?

Age 7 to 16
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Pythagoras’ Comma

Using an understanding that 1:2 and 2:3 were good ratios, start with a length and keep reducing it to 2/3 of itself. Each time that took the length under 1/2 they doubled it to get back within range.

Age 14 to 16
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Six Notes All Nice Ratios

The Pythagoreans noticed that nice simple ratios of string length made nice sounds together.

Age 14 to 16
Challenge Level Yellow star
Article Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Count the Beat

This article, written by Nicky Goulder and Samantha Lodge, reveals how maths and marimbas can go hand-in-hand! Why not try out some of the musical maths activities in your own classroom?

Age 5 to 11
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Rarity

Show that it is rare for a ratio of ratios to be rational.

Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Euclid's Algorithm and Musical Intervals

Use Euclid's algorithm to get a rational approximation to the number of major thirds in an octave.

Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Tuning and Ratio

Why is the modern piano tuned using an equal tempered scale and what has this got to do with logarithms?

Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level Yellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Oranges and Lemons, Say the Bells of St Clement's

Bellringers have a special way to write down the patterns they ring. Learn about these patterns and draw some of your own.

Age 11 to 14
Challenge Level Yellow star
Problem Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Bell Ringing

Suppose you are a bellringer. Can you find the changes so that, starting and ending with a round, all the 24 possible permutations are rung once each and only once?

Age 11 to 14
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Article Primary curriculum Secondary curriculum

Ding Dong Bell

The reader is invited to investigate changes (or permutations) in the ringing of church bells, illustrated by braid diagrams showing the order in which the bells are rung.

Age 11 to 18

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The NRICH Project aims to enrich the mathematical experiences of all learners. To support this aim, members of the NRICH team work in a wide range of capacities, including providing professional development for teachers wishing to embed rich mathematical tasks into everyday classroom practice.

NRICH is part of the family of activities in the Millennium Mathematics Project.

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