Abacus

The Abacus is one of mankind's oldest machines. An abacus is a bead and wire analog counting and calculating computer whose earliest form appeared about 3000 BC in Mesopotamia as a sand covered board in which marks were made by finger or stick. Humans are capable of counting, adding, subtracting and solving simple and complex mathematical problems.  Stone tools and the wheel gave humankind the ability to master physical obstacles in the environment.

Where does the name abacus come from?

The name abacus derives from the ancient word for " dust ".

History of the abacus

When was the abacus first used?

The history of the abacus began in about 3000 BC. The abacus was first used in Mesopotamia. The abacus system evolves as a grooved board and ultimately reached its wire and bead form in Egypt by about 500 BC. The abacus was also found in Greece and India and was in widespread use in China by 190 AD, where it is still commonly used.

How to use an abacus?

The Chinese abacus uses 10 wires with seven beads each to represent place values. One set of beads represents ones and others represent fives. By quickly moving the beads, a skilled abacus user can do addition, subtraction, multiplication and division as fast as the average person can work similar problems on an electronic calculator.