Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
h a l f b a k e r y
Keep out of reach of children.

idea: add, search, annotate, link, view, overview, recent, by name, random

meta: news, help, about, links, report a problem

account: browse anonymously, or get an account and write.

user:
pass:
register,


                       

Mathematically "Sound"

complete with diminished derivatives
  (+1)
(+1)
  [vote for,
against]

If you frequent calculators, whether for school, work, or even simple multiplication, as much as I do, maybe you'd like to add a little allegro to you algebra to relieve the monotony.

To do this, simple home calculators (like the four-function one on your desktop) could produce tones much like that of your average cellphone when you punch the keys. I actually got quite bored at a meeting once, whipped out my cell, and found that if I traveled far enough into the number pi, that I could produce the first measure of 'happy birthday' within the thing.

However, such calculator may already exist off of the cell phone. BUT, what I was considering was something a bit more musical. So, for more advanced calculators (like those used in upper high school and college level classes), actual music would occur not just with every key, but with graphs and data and the like. For example, a sine graph would basically be the repetition of a scale (or somewhat like crazy phillip glass music), and statistical data (like the stuff you would create a scatter plot with) would plot the points and create a tone for the position. This type of ability could actually prove useful in finding outliers (lower or higher tones)... but certainly the most interesting music would come from graphing complex multi-dimensional graphs and complex high-degree equations.

--- Although, I could imagine the effect on my calculus class during a test. "Hmmm... Billy's calculator played a D-minor chord followed by a diminished G-flat... mine ended in a G-natural... DAMN!" There would have to be a silent feature here.

SuiGenerisKitten, Nov 22 2005

Music from Math http://tones.wolfram.com/generate/
Here [sleeka, Nov 22 2005]

The Mozart Effect http://parenting-ba...Music-Research.html
Link between certain types of music and memory/learning efficiency [Adze, Nov 22 2005]

Musical Calculator http://www.kraftwer...ocketcalculator.htm
[calum, Nov 25 2005]

Chess to music translator Chess_20to_20music_20translator
by hippo. Seems related. [calum, Nov 25 2005]

[link]






       I've experienced the Bono effect. ;-)
bristolz, Nov 23 2005
  

       Synesthesia- Hearing the digits? - The chances are that any numerical sequence is embedded in pi somewhere... I found my own (local-dial) phone number near 27 million'th decimal point.   

       Dub's sonata in Hexadecimal... Ah, that has a ring to it!
Dub, Nov 23 2005
  

       [bristolz] You mean you've skied into a tree? or you've done the deed with the man himself?
ConsulFlaminicus, Nov 25 2005
  

       bz: Are you pro Bono, then?
st3f, Nov 25 2005
  

       ............   

       <waiting patiently for answer>
ConsulFlaminicus, Nov 26 2005
  

       This could work as a truly horrible powerpoint add-in for handling graphs.
wagster, Nov 26 2005
  

       I love cheesy powerpoints. They give me an excuse to sleep.
SuiGenerisKitten, Nov 28 2005
  
      
[annotate]
  


 

back: main index

business  computer  culture  fashion  food  halfbakery  home  other  product  public  science  sport  vehicle