A new study from the Department of Education shows that students who are deeply involved with any kind of instrumental music score significantly higher than other students on standardized math tests. While listening to music is not enough to boost math scores, playing the music is. The study also found that students involved in drama had better reading skills than those who weren't.

Read a brief summary of the survey: Arts education boosts student achievement Studies.

Also this week, the White House hosted the "Concert of the Century" in order to promote music education in the public schools. Among guests playing at the concert were Eric Clapton, Lenny Kravitz, Sheryl Crow, and B.B. King. Of course, President Clinton himself plays the saxophone. The goal of the concert was to draw attention to nonprofit VH1 cable channel's Save the Music Foundation, which supports music programs in schools.

For a description of the concert, see Legends of Rock and Blues Shake the White House.

Learn about the Problem

There are many points at which math, science, and music intersect. Here are a few activities that will help you see some of the connections:

• Making Music, a Mathematics Toolbox activity about combinations and probabilities
• Mutant Music, a Mathematics Toolbox activity about combinations and permutations
• A Plucked String, a Physics Explorer activity about the behavior of a plucked string under various conditions
• Tuning a Guitar, a Physics Explorer activity about the function of spring constant and particle mass
• Resonance, a Physics Explorer activity about resonant frequencies

Logal.net welcomes Riverdeep's Destination Math series. If you use Destination Math, the Mastering Skills & Concepts IV: Fractions session on Adding Fractions can help you with your ability to count beats in a measure.

Think about the Problem

• For the musicians in the class: Make a list of "math vocabulary" that is used throughout music, e.g., time signature, a D7 chord, etc.
  
  
• For the non-musicians in the class: Choose one of your hobbies--e.g., drawing, cooking, carpentry, photography, sports--and make a list of "math vocabulary and concepts" that are used in this hobby.

For the Teacher: Extending the Problem

• For a series of lessons and quizzes on the math in music, see Online Math Applications! Music. The lessons cover areas such as rhythm, time signature, tone, and Pythagoreans.
  
  
• Computers have had a direct impact on the world of music, from how music is made and recorded to how recordings are distributed. A major resource site for computer music is Harmony Central. Have the music and computer-oriented students prepare some computer music for the school's Web site.
  
  
• Music, Mind, Machine is a Dutch site dedicated to the computational modeling of music cognition. Students with an interest in psychology should enjoy reading both the research summaries and the articles in the section called " Fun."
  
  
• Have the musicians in your class prepare a presentation on the math or science they use when playing. Have other students involved in the fine arts prepare a similar presentation (e.g., art students and geometric shapes, dance students and motion). Have the students who are more science/math/technology oriented prepare a music presentation from their point of view (e.g., computerized music, musical instruments made from materials in the science lab, etc.).