HARMONIC  . In

acoustics, a harmonic is a secondary tone which accompanies the fundamental or primary tone of a vibrating string, reed, &c.; the more important are the 3rd, 5th, 7th, and octave (see SOUND; HARMONY) . A harmonic proportion, in arithmetic arid algebra is such that the reciprocals of the proportionals are in arithmetical proportion; thus, if a, b, c be in harmonic proportion then 1/a, 1/b, 1/c are in arithmetical proportion; this leads to the relation 2/b=ac/(a+c) . A harmonic progression or series consists of terms whose reciprocals form an arithmetical progression; the simplest example is: I +1+ 1+1 + ... (See ALGEBRA and ARITHMETIC) . The occurrence of a similar proportion between segments of lines is the foundation of such phrases as harmonic section, harmonic ratio, harmonic conjugates, &c . (see GEOMETRY: II . Projective) . The connexion between acoustical and mathematical harmonicals is most probably to be found in the Pythagorean discovery that a vibrating string when stopped at z and of its length yielded the octave and 5th of the original tone, the numbers, 1 , being said to be, probably first by Archytas, in harmonic pro-portion . The mathematical investigation of the form of a vibrating string led to such phrases as harmonic curve, harmonic motion, harmonic function, harmonic analysis, &c . (see MECHANICS and SPHERICAL HARMONICS) .