Calculator made our life easy when we reached higher class. Today, I think people cannot do simple addition without the help of a calculator, thanks to our mobile phone. So how did they do calculation during ancient times? One device that was used was called the ‘Abacus’.
Probably originated in Babylon, where in a slab or board was used on which they would spread sand to trace letters. Gradually it developed to the modern-day device that uses a frame fitted with series of rods or wires horizontally with beads thar can slide up and down. Counting is done by sliding the beads.
How useful is it?
*One can perform addition, subtraction, multiplication and division using an abacus.
*One can extract square and cube root of numbers.
*Improves ones’ concentration, listening and observation skills.
*Strengthening of the memory is one of the key benefits.
*Develops the skill of speed, accuracy, imagination, analysis, innovation, creativity, etc in one.
*Research has established that continuous use of Abacus helps the development of the right brain, which is believed to be unused usually.
*Develops spatial ability in one.
*Abacus builds a strong academic foundation, which helps increase self-confidence in one.
*It helps remove the fear of ‘Mathematics’.
Types of Abacus
Soroban Abacus: This device came into existence in the 14th century in Japan. They used wooden beads and bamboo rods.
Binary Abacus: This abacus teaches the conversion of decimals into binary.
Roman Abacus: Romans used stones on a smooth table to do their calculations. Eventually developed into metal plates, mainly used by bankers.
Russian Abacus: In a Russian abacus the rods are placed horizontally and the beads slid from the right to the left.
Chinese Abacus: It is also known as the “Suanpan”.
Some more to be named are Sumerian Abacus, Schoty Abacus, Cranmer Abacus, etc.
ABACUS abbreviates to Abundant Beads Addition and Calculation Utility System.
As rightly said by Albert Einstein, “Mathematics is, in its own way, the poetry of logical ideas.”