Mathematics and Flamenco: An Unexpected Partnership

TL;DR

This paper explores the intersection of mathematics and flamenco singing, introducing mathematical problems inspired by flamenco to enhance understanding and education in both fields.

Contribution

It presents novel mathematical problems derived from flamenco music, linking cultural context with discrete and computational mathematics education.

Findings

Mathematical problems inspired by flamenco can illuminate musical analysis.

Culturally rooted examples improve engagement in mathematics education.

The approach fosters interdisciplinary understanding between mathematics and music.

Abstract

In this paper, we present a series of mathematical problems which throw interesting lights on flamenco music. More specifically, these are problems in discrete and computational mathematics suggested by an analytical (not compositional) examination of flamenco ``cante'' (singing). As a consequence, since the problems are taken from a culturally specific context, the examples can make more effective mathematics education.