In music, a whole note is equivalent to four beats, while a quarter note is equivalent to one beat. Therefore, to determine how many quarter notes are needed to equal one whole note, you can use the following equation:
\[ \text{Quarter Note} \times x = \text{Whole Note} \]
Substituting the values:
\[ 1 , \text{(beat)} \times x = 4 , \text{(beats)} \]
Thus, \( x = 4 \).
So, 4 quarter notes equal 1 whole note.