A friend of mine approached me to help with a science project, regarding the relation between mathematics and music, and an old device known as a harmonograph. In an effort to expand our understanding, we are trying to work with some equations found online:


x = ( Ax1 * sin ( Fx1 * t + Px1 ) + Ax2 * sin ( Fx2 * t + Px2 ) ) * dk
y = ( Ay1 * sin ( Fy1 * t + Py1 ) + Ay2 * sin ( Fy2 * t + Py2 ) ) * dk

where the As are amplitudes, the Fs are frequencies, the Ps are phases, and dk = exp ( -k * t ), for some constant k.


I am in search of someone who can offer a bit of an explanation, and also some freeware graphing software that can handle these things, as well as how to enter an equation that appears to be a function of more than one variable. I'm just throwing this out there. Maybe some of you have heard of it. If you are knowledgable on this subject, post it here or email me. Thanks!