Activity Overview
The relationship between pitch (frequency) and the key (note) tapped on a piano keyboard are mathematically connected. The relationship is a relatively simple exponential function. In this activity students explore this relationship and use it to determine frequencies as they are played on a keyboard.
Objectives
The aim of this activity is for students to see the relationship between music and mathematics, specifically the relationship between frequency and the note being played, a simple example of an exponential function.
Vocabulary
- Pitch
- Frequency
- Key or Note
- Hertz
About the Lesson
Students collect data relating frequency and key and determine the corresponding exponential equation. The equation is then used to identify key or frequency.