By: Ashley Margolis

What is an Abacus
An abacus is one of the first counting devices

It is used for addition, subtraction,

multiplication and division

It is a calculator used by manually sliding

counters along rods

Pullan, J.M.. The History of the Abacus. Great Britain: Hutchinson of London, 1968.

How is the Abacus used?

Addison Example

2+6

Answer = 8
"Abacus Guide Book." Abacus. 18 Nov 2007 <http://www.tux.org/~bagleyd/AbacusGB.html>.

Advantages of learning the

Abacus
Helps kids learn basic number systems
Helps kids understand barrowing and carrying

in arithmetic
Helps Kids understand combinations of five and

ten
Helps kids visualize the math and develops

mental calculations
"Abacus." 15 October 1998 1. 15 November 1007 <http://www.smm.org/boghopper/Abacus.html>.

Disadvantages of using an
Abacus
Unlike a calculator it can only be used for

Addison subtraction, division and

multiplication.

Because counters are manually moved, its

hard to tell if you make a mistake.

Abacus." 15 October 1998 1. 15 November 1007 <http://www.smm.org/boghopper/Abacus.html>.

Why does the Abacus

exist?
Earliest counting device was the hand and

fingers.
When people started to count larger things

used twigs and pebbles.

Until numbers were used, people used many

different types of counting devices and the

Abacus was one of them.

Fernandes, Luis. "A Brief History of the Abacus." Abacus, The Art of Calculating with Beads. 30 August 2007. 13 Nov 2007 <http://www.ee.ryerson.ca:8080/~elf/

Can every one use the

Abacus?
Used by individuals who are blind or visually

impaired.
Gives blind students a tool to solve math

problems that are long and difficult.

Allows these students to complete problems as

fast as their peers.

Used switches instead of beads
"Abacus Guide Book." Abacus. 18 Nov 2007 <http://www.tux.org/~bagleyd/AbacusGB.html>.

Different types of Abaci

Russian

Japanese

Chinese

Roman

Called a Soroban
Called a Suanpan
Called a Schoty
10 beads on each rod
Start by moving all the
beads to the right side.
Move beads from right
to left.

Is considered
the first pocket
Has two beads on
calculator.
top of beam for
weights and
measures.
In wood frame, 2
beads on top and 5
beads on the

Interesting facts about the

Abacus
Abacus come from the Greek word ABAX, which

means calculating table.

The first record of the Abacus if from a drawing

from the 14th century

A lot of people in Russia and China still use the

Abacus today.

The Abacus is faster then a calculator in Addition

and Subtraction.

Bibliography
"Abacus." 15 October 1998 1. 15 November 1007

<http://www.smm.org/boghopper/Abacus.html>.
Pullan, J.M.. The History of the Abacus. Great Britain:

Hutchinson of London, 1968.

"Abacus Guide Book." Abacus. 18 Nov 2007

<http://www.tux.org/~bagleyd/AbacusGB.html>.
Fernandes, Luis. "A Brief History of the Abacus." Abacus, The

Art of Calculating with Beads. 30 August 2007. 13 Nov 2007

<http://www.ee.ryerson.ca:8080/~elf/abacus/history.html>.