9

3
2
−
8
6
7
A brief history of Abacus
= It is the most primitive form of a calculating device, invented
6 somewhere between 300 and 500 B.C. The exact date of the origin
5 of the abacus is unknown.
8
= The first written information about the abacus that survived to the
6 present, is from the Greek historian Herodotus (480-425 B.C.), who
, mentioned also, that the ancient Egyptians used an abacus.
9 The oldest abacus survived to the present day, is the so-
1 called Salamis abacus. It is believed to have been found on Salamis,
2
.
a Greek island, in 1899, hence the name. It was used by the
Babylonians around 300 b.c.e.

A brief history of Abacus

It is the most primitive form of a calculating device, invented
somewhere between 300 and 500 B.C. The exact date of the origin
of the abacus is unknown.
The first written information about the abacus that survived to the
present, is from the Greek historian Herodotus (480-425 B.C.), who
mentioned also, that the ancient Egyptians used an abacus.
The oldest abacus survived to the present day, is the so-
called Salamis abacus. It is believed to have been found on Salamis,
a Greek island, in 1899, hence the name. It was used by the
Babylonians around 300 b.c.e.

A brief history of Abacus

It is the most primitive form of a calculating device, invented
somewhere between 300 and 500 B.C. The exact date of the origin
of the abacus is unknown.
The first written information about the abacus that survived to the
present, is from the Greek historian Herodotus (480-425 B.C.), who
mentioned also, that the ancient Egyptians used an abacus.
The oldest abacus survived to the present day, is the so-
called Salamis abacus. It is believed to have been found on Salamis,
a Greek island, in 1899, hence the name. It was used by the
Babylonians around 300 b.c.e.

Abacus Basics
For many of us, Mathematics is the subject we love to hate. Having said that,
calculations and numbers are part of our everyday lives.
Abacus learning makes the calculation process easy and interesting.
An abacus has beads that slide on rods.
• The column on the far right is for ones (1,2,3,...)
• The next column is for tens (10,20,30,...)
• The next column is for 100s (100,200,300,...) etc
The most common abacus is split into two basic rows:
There are two beads in the top row, and five beads in the bottom one. The top row is
worth 5 of the bottom row
Exampl
e
7 can be made using one bead on the top row, and 2 beads from the bottom
row, because 5 + 2 = 7.
Abacus Counting
First, make sure each column in the top row has one or two beads per row and each
column in the bottom row has four. While starting, all of the beads should be up in
the top row, and down in the bottom row. The beads in the top row represent the
number value 5 and each bead in the bottom row represents the number value 1.

Each column of beads represents a "place" value”. So, the farthest column on the
right would be the "ones" place (1-9), the second farthest the "tens" place (10-99), the
third farthest the hundreds (100-999), and so on.
To count a digit, push one bead to the "up" position. "One" would be represented by
pushing a single bead from the bottom row in the farthest column on the right to the
"up" position, "two" by pushing two, etc.
It is easier to use one’s thumb to move the beads in the top row, and the index finger
to move the beads in the bottom row.
To learn more about Abacus Counting, check out Abacus Counting.
Abacus Adding
To add 1234 and 5678, enter 1234 on the abacus by pushing up four beads in the
one's place, three in the tens place, two in the hundreds place, and one in the
thousands place
The first numbers to be added are the 1 and the 5 from the thousands place, moving
the single bead from the top row of that column down to add the 5, and leaving the
lower bead up for a total of 6. Likewise, to add 6 in the hundreds place, move the top
bead in the hundreds place down and one bead from the bottom row up to get a total
of 8.
Since adding the two numbers in the tens place will result in 10, you'll carry over a 1
to the hundred places, making it a 9 in that column. Next, put all the beads down in
the tens place, leaving it zero.
In the ones column, you'll do essentially the same thing. Eight plus 4 equals 12, so
you'll carry the one over to the tens place, making it 1. This leaves you with 2 in one's
place.
Now if you count your beads you get the answer. You're left with a 6 in the thousands
column, a 9 in the hundreds, a 1 in the tens, and a 2 in the
ones: 1,234+5,678=6,912.
To learn more about Addition on Abacus, check out Complete Guide: How to add
two numbers using Abacus?
Subtracting
Here we reverse the process. Borrow digits from the previous column instead of
carrying them over. If you are subtracting 867 from 932, enter 932 into the abacus,
start subtracting column-by-column starting on your left.
Eight removed from nine is one, so a single bead is left up in the hundreds place.
In the tens place, you can't subtract 6 from 3, so you'll borrow the 1 in the hundreds
place (leaving it zero) and subtract 6 from 13, making it 7 in the tens place (the upper
bead up and two lower beads).
Do the same thing in the ones place, "borrowing" a bead from the tens place (making
it 6) to subtract 7 from 12 instead of 2.
There should be a 5 in the ones column: 932−867=65.
Similarly, multiplications and divisions can be done. All it requires is concentration
and counting ability.
To learn more about subtraction on Abacus, check out Complete Guide: How to
subtract two numbers using Abacus?.
Abacus Techniques
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. With a Chinese abacus, the
thumb and the index finger together with the middle finger are used to manipulate the
beads.
With the Japanese version, only the index finger and thumb are used. The beads are
moved up with the thumb and down with the index finger. The techniques remain
more or less the same.
To learn more about Abacus Techniques, check out Abacus Techniques
Summary
Despite the abacus being ancient in its origin, it is still in use today. It has been a
boon for the visually challenged as learning placement value, and other calculations
can be done by touch. In many countries abacus is taught to early school goers as it
has been seen that it helps subtends have a better understanding of numbers.
About Cuemath
Cuemath, student-friendly mathematics and coding platform, conducts regular Online
Live Classes for academics and skill-development, and their Mental Math App, on
both iOS and Android, is a one-stop solution for kids to develop multiple skills.
Check out the fee structure for all grades and book a trial class today!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is an abacus?
It is a counting frame used for mathematical calculations. It is the oldest calculating
device known to mankind and was discovered by the Babylons around 300 B.C.
Where was Abacus first used?
The abacus was first discovered by the Babylons in 300 B.C. but it also has traces of
being used during ancient times near east, China, Japan, and Europe.
What are the advantages of using an abacus?
Removes the fear of mathematics by making arithmetic calculations easier. It is also
said to improve one’s concentration, Listening Skills, Memory, Speed, and accuracy,
among other things.
Who invented the abacus?
Many study's have shown that no one in particular has made the abacus but many
believe it was made in China. An adapted abacus, invented by Tim Cranmer, called a
Cranmer abacus is still commonly used by individuals who are blind. A piece of soft
fabric or rubber is placed behind the beads so that they do not move inadvertently.

Multiplying
 Downlo

ad Article
1. 1
Record the problem on the abacus. Start at the farthest left column of
the abacus. Say you're multiplying 34 and 12. You need to assign columns
to "3", "4", "X", "1", "2", and "=". Leave the rest of the columns to the
right open for your product.[8]
• The “X” and “=” will be represented by blank columns.
• The abacus should have 3 beads up in the farthest column left, four
up in the next farthest, a blank column, a column with one bead up,
 two beads up in the next, and another blank column. The rest of
the columns are open.
2. 2

3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.

14.Multiply by alternating columns. The order here is critical. You need to

multiply the first column by the first column after the break, then the first
15.column by the second column after the break. Next, you'll multiply the
second column before the break by the first column after the break, then
the second column before the break by the second column after the
break.[9]
• If you are multiplying larger numbers, keep the same pattern: start
with the leftmost digits, and work to the right.
16.3
Record the products in the correct order. Start recording in the first
answer column, after the blank one for the “=” sign. You will keep moving
beads on the right hand portion of the abacus as you multiply the
individual digits. For the problem 34 x 12:[10]
• First, multiply 3 and 1, recording their product in the first answer
column. Push three beads up in that seventh column.
• Next, multiply the 3 and the 2, recording their product in the eighth
column. Push one bead from the upper section down, and one bead
from the lower section up.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
• When you multiply the 4 and the 1, add that product (4) to the
eighth column, the second of the answer columns. Since you're
adding a 4 to a 6 in that column, carry one bead over to the first
answer column, making a 4 in the seventh column (four beads from
the bottom section pushed up to center bar) and a 0 in the eighth
(all beads in their original starting position: the top section bead
pushed up, bottom section beads pushed down).
• Record the product of the last two digits 4 and 2 (8), in the last of
the answer columns. They should now read 4, blank, and 8, making
your answer 408.
 Dividing
ow

nload Article

1. 1
Leave space for your answer to the right of the divisor and the
dividend. When dividing on an abacus, you will put the divisor in the left-
most column(s). Leave a couple blank columns to the right, then put the
dividend in the columns next to those. The remaining columns to the right
will be used to do the work leading to the answer. Leave those blank for
now.[11]
• For example, to divide 34 by 2, count 2 in the left-most column,
leave two blank columns, then put 34 over to the right. Leave the
other columns blank for the answer section.
• To do this, push two lower beads from the bottom portion up in the
left-most column. Leave the next two columns alone. In the fourth
column, push three beads from the bottom portion up. In the fifth
column from the left, push four beads from the bottom portion up.
• The blank columns between the divisor and the dividend are just to
visually separate the numbers so you don't lose track of what's
what.
2. 2
Record the quotient. Divide the first number in the dividend (3) by the
divisor (2), and put it in the first blank column in the answer section. Two
goes into 3 once, so record a 1 there.[12]
• To do this, push one bead from the bottom portion up in the first
column of the answer section.
• If you like, you can skip a column (leave it blank) between the
dividend and the columns you want to use for the answer section.
This can help you distinguish between the dividend and the work
you do as you calculate.
3.
4.

5.
6. 3
Determine the remainder. Next, you need to multiply the quotient in
the first answer section column (1) by the dividend in column one (2) to
determine the remainder. This product (2) needs to be subtracted from the
first column of the dividend. The dividend should now read 14.
• To make the dividend read 14, push two of the bottom portion
beads currently pushed up to the center bar at the fifth column
back down to their starting position. Only one bead in the lower
portion of the fifth column should remain pushed up to the center
bar.
 Repeat the process. Record the next digit of the quotient in the next
blank column of the answer section, subtracting the product from the
dividend (here, eliminating it). Your board should now read 2, followed by
blank columns, then 1, 7, showing your divisor and the quotient, 17.
• Two beads from the bottom portion of the left most column will be
pushed up to the center bar.
• This will be followed by several blank columns.
• One bead from the bottom portion of the first answer section
column will be pushed to the center bar.
• In the next answer section column, two beads from the bottom
portion will be pushed up to the center bar, and the bead from the
top portion will be pushed down to it.
What Tools Can You Use To Learn Math?
Object 1

Community Q&A

• Question
Is it good for children to use an abacus?
wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer
Yes, an abacus is a great tool for teaching children basic math. The different
senses involved in using an abacus, like sight and touch, can also help reinforce
the lessons.
Not Helpful 24Helpful 50

• Question
Where was the abacus invented?
wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer
The type of abacus most commonly used today was invented in China around
the 2nd century B.C. However, abacus-like devices are first attested from
ancient Mesopotamia around 2700 B.C.!
Not Helpful 13Helpful 40

• Question
My abacus has five beads on the bottom and two on the top. Why?
Community Answer
Your abacus is a Chinese abacus. It has more calculative ability than a Japanese
Soroban abacus. However, the essentials are effectively the same, so these
instructions should still work.
Not Helpful 44Helpful 113
See more answers