Abacus What is, characteristics, how to use it, history, what is for, etymology

Set your first number in the abacus and minus from that number going left to right. After translating an article, all tools except font up/font down will be disabled. To re-enable the tools or to convert back to English, click “view original” on the Google Translate toolbar. The abacus was either invented in Babylon or in Ancient China.

SOROBAN

In the 21st century, portable counting devices rarely exist as separate entities. Instead they are simulated as Apps running on desktop computers, smartphones and tablets. Civilization, which began recording history with a stylus and a clay tablet thousands of years ago is re-using those original terms today. In the Middle Ages, wood became the primary material for manufacturing counting boards; the orientation of the beads also switched from vertical to horizontal. In Western Europe, as arithmetic (calculating using written numbers) gained in popularity in the latter part of the Middle Ages, the use of counting boards began to diminish and eventually disappear by 1500. Both the abacus and the counting board are mechanical aids used for counting; they are not calculators in the sense we use the word today.

The Salamis Tablet (c. 300 BCE)

However, China and Japan have the longest history of consistent abacus use and development. An abacus is a manual calculating tool used for adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. Each rod represents a place value, with the rightmost rod representing the ones place. You can visualize numbers and calculate by manipulating the beads along the frame.

Russia

Earlier counting devices that were used for counting are the human hands and their fingers that are capable of counting only up to ten. Toes were also used to count when they had to count more than ten. A larger quantity was counted, with the help of natural items like pebbles, seashells and twigs.

James Appleby – Complete Biography, History, and Inventions

• Additionally Romans invented other types of Abacus such as the dust Abacus, the line Abacus, the grooved Abacus.
• The basic need that led to the development of this device was the need to compute larger calculations.
• In addition, they are widely used as teaching tools, especially in Asia, and by the visually impaired, who may have difficulty reading the screen of an electrical calculator.
• In the 21st century, portable counting devices rarely exist as separate entities.
• Earlier operations like counting were performed on hands or using Vedic maths but larger operations require more calculations.
• The abacus is also an ancestor of the modern calculator and computer.
• In 1958 Lee Kai-chen published a manual for his “new” abacus designed with 4 decks (it combines two abaci; the top abacus is a small 1/4 soroban and the bottom one is a 2/5 suan-pan).
• The Japanese Abacus, or soroban, has a similar design but has one dot on the top row and four beads on the bottom.
• The Babylonians, Ancient Chinese, Japanese and Russians all used a calculating tool similar to a modern-day abacus.
• Compare the quick rate of progress in last one-thousand years to the slow progress during the first one-thousand years of civilization.

The groove marked I indicates units, X tens, and so on up to millions. The beads in the shorter grooves denote fives (five units, five tens, etc.) resembling a bi-quinary coded decimal system related to the Roman numerals. The short grooves on the right may have been used for marking Roman “ounces” (i.e. fractions).

Renaissance abacuses

The abacus, called Suan-Pan in Chinese, as it appears today, was first chronicled circa 1200 C.E. On each rod, the classic Chinese abacus has 2 beads on the upper deck and 5 on the lower deck; such an abacus is also referred to as a 2/5 abacus. The 2/5 style survived unchanged until circa 1850 at which time the 1/5 (one bead on the top deck and five beads on the bottom deck) abacus appeared. During Greek and Roman times, counting boards, like the Roman hand-abacus, that survive are constructed from stone and metal (as a point of reference, the Roman empire fell circa 500 C.E.). This time-line above (click to enlarge) shows the evolution from the earliest counting board to the present day abacus. The introduction of the Arabic numbering system in Western Europe stopped further development of counting boards.

History of Abacus

An abacus is a calculation tool used by sliding counters along rods or grooves, used to perform mathematical functions. In addition to calculating the basic functions of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, the abacus can calculate roots up to the cubic degree. The abacus (the suanpan is the most useful variety) is a deceptively simple calculating tool still used all over the world. It’s a useful learning device for the visually impaired, as well as for anyone who wants to learn the roots of the modern calculator.

• The beads are moved up with the thumb and down with the index finger.
• In the Middle Ages, wood became the primary material for manufacturing counting boards; the orientation of the beads also switched from vertical to horizontal.
• Beads in the first row have unitary values (1, 2, 3, and 4), and on the right side, three beads had values of 5, 10, and 15, respectively.
• Still, its simplicity and functionality have made it a valuable asset in mathematical education for centuries.
• Merchants and traders needed to maintain an inventory of the goods they bought and sold.
• The Abacus was so important in ancient times that it was often called the “calculator.”

Who invented the first abacus?

• The Japanese Abacus, or soroban, has a similar design but has one dot on the top row and four beads on the bottom.
• The off-colored beads and separation dots may be different on the different abacus tool but always have the same function of separating numbers into sets of three.
• The basic need that led to the development of this device was the need to compute larger calculations.
• Compare the quick rate of progress in last one-thousand years to the slow progress during the first one-thousand years of civilization.
• It also develops the creative and imaginative abilities of the students.
• Additionally Romans invented other types of Abacus such as the dust Abacus, the line Abacus, the grooved Abacus.
• In 1958 Lee Kai-chen published a manual for his “new” abacus designed with 4 decks (it combines two abaci; the top abacus is a small 1/4 soroban and the bottom one is a 2/5 suan-pan).

For instance, to add two numbers, drag the appropriate number of beads on each row towards the centre and then count the number of dots. Similarly, to subtract two numbers, you move the proper number of beads away from each other and then measure the remaining beads. The Abacus may seem like a primitive tool compared to today’s modern math calculators and computers.

What Tools Can You Use To Learn Math?

It is believed to have been found on Salamis, a Greek island, in 1899, hence the name. It is still used to teach the basics of arithmetic to children. But for greater or bigger numbers, people would depend upon natural resources available to them, such as pebbles, seashells, etc. Abacuses offer tangible visual ways of grasping mathematical concepts – making them invaluable resources across various educational environments and beyond. Abacus is also an academic accounting journal published and edited by the University of Sydney.

Japan

The Japanese abacus is called the Soroban which was not used widely until the seventeenth century. The Japanese have yearly examinations and competitions in computations on the Soroban. The beads are manipulated with either the index finger or the thumb of one hand. The abacus is typically constructed of various types of hardwoods and comes in varying sizes.

The evolution of the counting device can be divided into three ages: Ancient Times, Middle Ages, and Modern Times.

This inexpensive, 13-rod abacus features a red felt backing which prevents beads from slipping during calculations. The device is considered to be a valuable teaching tool for visually impaired students. It can be used to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. The idea of this counting frame is that each rod represents a sequential place value.

Along with slide rules, calculators, and electronic computers, the abacus is part of a long tradition of mathematical machines. Although invented thousands of years ago, abacuses are still used as education tools and for quick calculations in settings where electricity may not be available. However, merchants who traded goods needed a more comprehensive way to keep count of the many goods they bought and sold. The abacus is one of many counting devices invented in ancient times to help count large numbers, but it is believed that the abacus was first used by the Babylonians as early as 2,400 B.C. In the bead frame shown, the gap between the 5th and 6th wire, corresponding to the color change between the 5th and the 6th bead on each wire, suggests the latter use. Teaching multiplication, e.g. 6 times 7, may be represented by shifting 7 beads on 6 wires.

The Salamis Tablet, the Roman Calculi and Hand-abacus are from the period c. 300 B.C.E. to c. 500 C.E.

Digital devices need not replace manipulative tools like the abacus that build mathematical thinking. Overall, an abacus provides a straightforward way to calculate and teach arithmetic using visual and spatial representations. The bead above the bar has a value of 5, while the lower bead has a value of 1. By sliding the beads up and down, you can represent any number and perform arithmetic through a place value system. In Western countries, a bead frame similar to the Russian abacus but with straight wires and a vertical frame is common (see image). It had a close relation to natural phenomena, the underworld, and the cycles of the heavens.

The abacus survives today in the Middle East, China, and Japan, but it has been largely replaced by electronic calculators. Ultimately, while not as universal today, the abacus transformed mathematical understanding and paved the way for computing. This ancient calculating tool remains a powerful representation of number relationships that continues to intellectually engage users around the world today. As top-performing Asian education systems like Japan have demonstrated, the abacus can play an expanded role globally as a learning device.

The counting board is a piece of wood, stone or metal with carved grooves or painted lines between which beads, pebbles or metal discs were moved. The abacus is a device, usually of wood (romans made them out of metal and they are made of plastic in modern times), having a frame that holds rods with freely-sliding beads mounted on them. The Abacus is a simple yet powerful tool that can perform complex mathematical calculations. The beads or stones on the Abacus represent numbers and are moved along the rods or wires to perform various operations.

The History of Calculating Tools

Below these lines is a wide space with a horizontal crack dividing it. Expert abacus users can sometimes do calculations faster than on a calculator, and can even use them to find the square root of whole numbers. As mentioned earlier the thumb and the index fingers play a very prominent role in mastering the abacus. The abacus is used in many countries even today and an efficient method to achieve proficiency in arithmetic.

Despite the advances of digital technology, abacuses remain popular tools in education and mental math training despite its advanced use. Embark on a journey to discover the abacus, a timeless calculating tool that has played a pivotal role in the history of mathematics. Defined as a simple yet powerful tool for numerical calculations, the abacus comes in various types, each with its unique structure and applications. In addition, people who can’t use a calculator due to visual impairment may use an abacus. Blind children are often taught to use the abacus to learn math and perform calculations as a substitute for paper and pencil.

A brain takes input from the organs; thus, in an abacus, the beads are arranged in that way. When the children manage it by their fingers, the nerve endings get activated and then it activates the cells which are in the brain. When the left hand is used, the cells on the right side of the brain are activated.

Due to fundamental similarities in their core functions, computers are sometimes referred to as an abacus due to their striking resemblance. More recently, the use of the abacus has been shown to produce a number of changes in the grey matter and brain matter, helping to maintain integration and accelerate learning through training. It also helps us to solve arithmetic problems through calculation and memory, as long as the operations are done with simple numbers. Today, this ancient instrument is used as a type of didactic toy to teach mathematics in a simple way to children, as it functions as a multiplication table. This calculating tool uses a counting frame and a series of beads on an upper and lower set of rods. Beads are pushed to the center to mark numbers in different place values, making it easy to make complex calculations.

The Schoty is a Russian abacus invented in the 17th century and still used today in some parts. The accountant sits in the middle of his side of the table, so that everybody can see him, and so that his hand can move freely at its work. When the sum demanded of the sheriff has been set out in heaps of counters, the payments made into the Treasury or otherwise are similarly set out in heaps underneath. The lower line is simply subtracted from the upper.” —The Dialogue on the Exchequer, 1177. “The Exchequer is an oblong board measuring about 10 feet by 5…with a rim around it about four finger breadths in height, to prevent anything set on it from falling off.

Despite its ancient history, the abacus continues to be used in modern times. The modern abacus is attributed to Tim Cranmer, who invented the Cranmer abacus in 1962. It’s still used for teaching individuals who are blind or visually impaired. It is used to show how numbers, letters, and signs can be stored in a binary system on a Computer, or using an ASCII number.

Each rod typically represents one digit of a multi-digit number laid out using a positional numeral system such as base ten (though some cultures used different numerical bases). Natural numbers are normally used, but some allow simple fractional components (e.g. 1⁄2, 1⁄4, and 1⁄12 in Roman abacus), and a decimal point can be imagined for fixed-point arithmetic. If you want to count higher numbers, you need to move left on the basis of how high numbers you want to count. For example, as shown in the below picture, the abacus is equal to 283 included 9 beads moved to the reckoning bar. Finally, add all (1’s, 10’s, 100’s) columns together (200 + 80 + 3) that gives you total 283. A human brain works with the help of sense organs; the motor nerves and sensory nerves in our body take the information from the organs to the brain and vice-versa.

The beads in the top row represent the number value 5 and each bead in the bottom row represents the number value 1. There is evidence that people were using abacuses in ancient Rome (753 b.c.e.–476, c.e.). It is the most primitive form of a calculating device, invented somewhere between 300 and 500 B.C. As one can imagine, how difficult it would be to count without numbers.

In austere field environments, rudimentary abaci have been commonly used by infantry soldiers among many of the worlds’ armed forces up to the present day. Another popular use of abaci around the world is to teach arithmetic to children, especially multiplication; the abacus can substitute for rote memorization of multiplication tables. So in many Asian countries, the abacus remains a point of cultural pride and mathematical skill. So while the exact origin is uncertain, abacuses developed across Eurasia over thousands of years as an efficient calculation tool.

• Some of the early inventors of abacus are Mesopotamians, salamis tablet by ancient Greek, Roman abacus by Romanians, Suanpan by people from China.
• Affluent merchants could afford small wooden tables having raised borders that were filled with sand (usually coloured blue or green).
• The device is considered to be a valuable teaching tool for visually impaired students.
• Abacus is a multi-sensory, ancient calculating tool that helps children understand math interestingly and easily.

Therefore it made written calculations easier and the abacus became unnecessary. The abacus was probably invented by an ancient group of people known as Sumerians in Mesopotamia. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Hindus, and Chinese all used the abacus as well. While not technically a computer, the abacus is known as the first calculating tool. It’s also one of the first inventions that led to the first computer, credited to Charles Babbage in 1822. Because the abacus is one of the first calculators created, its origin may predate the historical record.

The person operating the abacus performs calculations in their head and uses the abacus as a physical aid to keep track of the sums, the carrys, etc. It is difficult to imagine counting without numbers, but there was a time when written numbers did not exist. The earliest counting device was the human hand and its fingers, capable of counting up to 10 things; toes were also used to count in tropical cultures.

A few decades later scientific calculators evolved into programmable calculators able to display graphs and images on bitmapped LCD screens. Eight plus 4 equals 12, so you’ll carry the one over to the tens place, making it 1. Abacus learning makes the calculation process easy how to use abacus and interesting. Having said that, calculations and numbers are part of our everyday lives. Not much is known of its early use, but rules on how to use it emerged in the thirteenth century. The oldest abacus survived to the present day, is the so-called Salamis abacus.

The earliest counting device would have been the human fingers or toes. In this article, we’ll explore the history and functionality of this ancient mathematical tool. Abacus, calculating device, probably of Babylonian origin, that was long important in commerce. It is the ancestor of the modern calculating machine and computer. Together, these benefits make abacus calculation faster, more intuitive, and less prone to careless errors.

Abacus is divided into the upper and the lower part by a horizontal bar known as the Beam. It is to be kept in mind that the Abacus is to be kept on the desk in such a manner that the direction of the right hand should coincide with the wire of the Abacus. Roman culture could have been introduced to China as early as 166 C.E., during the Han Dynasty, as Roman emperor Antoninus Pius’ embassies to China spread along the Silk Road.