Which symbol indicates how many flats or sharps are in a song?

• A. Time signature
• B. Key signature
• C. Bar line
• D. Measure

Answer: (B)

Key signature shows how many flats or sharps are in a song and which notes are altered throughout the piece. It appears at the very start of the staff after the clef, and it sets the pitch rules for every measure, so you don’t have to read accidentals everywhere. If there are sharps, you’ll see which notes are raised (for example, three sharps mean F#, C#, and G# are consistently raised); if there are flats, you’ll see which notes are lowered. When there are none, the piece is in a natural key like C major or A minor. This is distinct from rhythm-related symbols like the time signature, which governs how beats are organized, or bar lines and measures, which divide the music into time segments rather than altering pitch.