If you’re wondering how to use an abacus for performing mathematical calculations, you’ll be surprised at how versatile this instrument can be. Abacus came into existence before the calculator or computer came into existence. For the longest time, Eastern societies have used the abacus to calculate. An abacus is a rectangular wooden frame with horizontal bars that divide it into top and bottom sections. These have beads that allow for elaborate hexadecimal calculations. Addition, subtraction, or multiplication, your kid can do it all if they know the basics of an abacus. With plenty of benefits, it would be worthy of considering introducing the abacus early on. Here we are to help you with some information on how to use it so you can help them develop mental math skills.
What Is An Abacus?
The abacus, also sometimes known as a counting frame, is a calculating tool that was predominantly used in Asia and Africa. The earlier versions were made using stones or beans that moved in grooves on sand or tablets of wood, metal, or stone. The modern abacus is mostly constructed in the form of a bamboo frame and has beads that have to be slid on wires.
Benefits Of Teaching The Abacus Method To Your Kid
Here are a few ways in which learning the abacus will help your kid:
It boosts your kid’s development, especially between the ages of 6 and 16.
Helps improve concentration and enhances creative abilities.
Improves the ability to calculate mentally. Improves grip over basic mathematic concepts such as addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication.
How To Make An Abacus For Kids At Home
You Will Need:
10 pipe cleaners.
Beads in 10 different colors.
Hot glue gun
2 dowel rods
How To:
How To Use An Abacus For Kids: Simple Methods
All you need to teach your kid about the abacus is how to use an abacus itself. You can choose one which has two different colored beads in each row or go for a simple one in which all the beads are of the same color. Remember that before your kid learns to do more complex things on the abacus, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication or more, you will first have to teach the concept of the abacus and how to use it. Here are two simple methods with which you can help your kid to learn to use the abacus:
1. Method 1: The Match My Move Method:
2. Method 2: The Counting Game Method:
Both the counting game methods will help to teach your kid about basic concepts in numbers. Your kid will slowly be able to learn how to use the abacus, without getting overwhelmed with a new learning device. It will also be a great way to ease your kid into the concepts of addition and subtraction.
Counting And Basics With Abacus
Here are a few tips you can share with your kid about the basics of counting with an abacus:
1. Make The Placements Correct:
Each column in the top row of an abacus will have either one or two beads and the one at the bottom will have four beads.
When your kid begins using the abacus, make sure that all the beads in the top column are placed upwards and the ones in the column below are placed downwards.
The beads in the top column represent the number five while each bead in the column below has a value of one.
2. Assign Place Values To Each Column:
Each column of the beads denotes a place value.
The column on the farthest right side is the ones place, the one next to it is the seconds place, the next third and so on.
3. Start The Counting:
To start counting, your kid will first have to push one of the beads to the upwards position.
To represent the number one, your kid will have to push only one bead from the row below in the farthest column on the right to an up position. To represent the number two, your kid will have to do the same thing but with two beads, and so on.
4. How To Make The Beads Read Five:
The bottom row has only four beads, so to move from the number four to five, your kid will have to make use of the bead above. Your kid will have to push one bead from the top row to a downward position and push all the four beads from the below column to a downward position as well. In this position, the abacus beads will read as the numeric five.
5. How To Make The Beads Read Six:
In a similar way, to count the number six, your kid will have to push one bead from the bottom row in an upward position.
At the same time, the bead in the top row will have to be in a downward position to represent the number five.
Together, with one and five, it will read as the numeric six.
Addition And Subtraction With An Abacus
Here is how you can teach the concept of addition and subtraction to your kid with the help of an abacus:
Addition:
1. Start With The First Number:
If your kid wants to add, for instance, 1234 and 5678, here is how you can teach the method.
Ask your kid to push four beads in the ones place to an upwards position, three beads in the tens place to an upwards position, two beads in the hundreds place to an upwards position, one bead in the thousands place in an upward position and so on. If your kid is getting confused, refer to the place concept explained above.
2. Start Addition From The Left Side:
The abacus uses the concept of moving from the left to the right side.
It means that the first number that you will add will be the one and the five from the thousands place. Your kid will move a single bead from the row above in the column above to a downwards position to add the five.
Now your kid can leave the bead at the bottom upwards to make a total of six. In a similar way, your kid will have to move the bead at the top in the hundreds place in a downwards position. At the same time, your kid will have to move three more beads from the bottom part in an upwards position to create an eight in the hundreds place.
Subtraction:
1. Example Of Subtracting 867 From 932:
To begin with, help your kid enter the number 932 in the abacus.
To get to that number, help your kid put the upper beads in an upward position. All the four lower beads in the hundreds column will also be in an upwards position.
The three lower beads in the tens column will be in an upwards position.
The two lower beads in the ones column will be in an upwards position.
Once your kid gets the above bead positions correct, you can help to start the subtraction each column wise beginning from the left side.
During the first few trials, it may seem a little hard or different for your kid to understand the basics and concepts of using the abacus. However, with a little patience and practice, your kid will soon be able to master the art of practicing numbers with the help of the same.
Moms, have your kids tried using the abacus? If yes, do share some tips to help other moms teach their kids too.
