Bob Sparks, age 9, of Greenville, Miss., for his question:

WHEN WAS THE FIRST FLUTE MADE?

Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Chinese used musical instruments similar to our present day flutes. Some Arab tribes today still use the Ancient Egyptian instruments, which are called nays.

During the 1600s and 1700s an ancient instrument grew to be a cone shaped flute made of wood. It had a few finger holes.

Then in 1846 in Munich, Germany, a musician named Theobald Boehm made the first cylindrical flute of metal. He also arranged the modern system of fingering that makes it possible to place the openings more accurately and improve the tone.

Rudall Carte and Company of London perfected the Boehm flute and brought out variations of it.