The Abacus: A History
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The Abacus: A History How did people keep track of numbers before pen and paper were widely available? How does addition and subtraction work if you don't have a handy written form for your numbers? Say you can't read or write, but you can count - how do you add, subtract, multiply, or divide large numbers? The answer to all these questions is . . . the abacus! What is an abacus? An abacus is a device used for addition and subtraction, and the related operations of multiplication and division. It does not require the use of pen and paper, and it's good for any base number system. There are two basic forms for the abacus: a specially marked flat surface used with counters (counting table), or a frame with beads strung on wires (bead frame). Timeline of the Abacus Chinese Abacus ************************************* Japanese Abacus *************************** Aztec Abacus ******* Counting Table ****************************************** 600 BC 500 BC 0...


