Final answer:
Assuming the quarter note equals one beat, the whole note receives four beats.
Step-by-step explanation:
The whole note receives four beats if the quarter note equals one beat. In the realm of music, beats are essential for maintaining rhythm and timing within a piece. For piano tuners, understanding beats is also crucial, as they use them to ensure instruments are properly tuned.
By listening for the beats when a note is played alongside a tuning fork, the piano tuner can discern if the string is in tune or if it needs adjustment. This is necessary not only for pianos but also for other stringed instruments like twelve-string guitars and mandolins.
A beat in tuning indicates a frequency mismatch -- therefore, the tuner adjusts the string until the beats disappear, indicating that the strings are vibrating at the same or nearly the same frequency.