Abacus: A brief history from Babylon to Japan

Mathematics is an integral part of the school curriculum, and rightly so, as our daily life has use of mathematics in every nook and cranny we can think of.  Measuring grocery for a meal, buying tickets for a large group, calculating the cost of a restaurant dine in; Maths comes handy in a lot of ways.

But here is a catch, Maths is a subject which is not loved by many. Kids often are scared of maths, and at this point we, the adults, either parents or educators have the responsibility to make it an entertaining subject for them. One of the ways, to help children do long calculations in a faster and more efficient way is Abacus.

The Abacus is a marvellous tool that serves as a connection between ancient history and modern mathematics. The abacus is a manual calculator, which enables its users to perform arithmetic operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. 

The abacus has a very simple structure which can be used to perform comparatively complex mental maths problems. Typically, an abacus consists of a rectangular frame, vertical rods, and beads that slide along these rods. The frame is divided into two sections: the upper deck and the lower deck.  The upper deck usually has rods which have single beads, representing the value of five.

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The lower deck has rods which contain four beads each, and one bead represents the value of one. The rods in each deck correspond to place values, such as ones, tens, hundreds, and so on.  A person can perform arithmetic operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, by moving the beads up and down. The basic idea is the same but the design varies across cultures. For example, in "suanpan," the Chinese abacus, there are two beads in the upper deck and five in the lower deck, on the other hand in "soroban," the Japanese abacus, there is one bead in the upper deck and four in the lower deck.

In mathematics education, the abacus is used to hone the mental maths skills. Students visualise and manipulate beads to enhance their calculation powers as well as the cognitive abilities, concentration, focus, retention of concepts and problem-solving skills.

The Greek word "abakos” is the root word for the word abacus. It is derived from a Semitic word meaning "dust" or "to wipe the dust". The name has a reference to the early form of abacus as a sand covered surface used for computations. The abacus is considered as one of the earliest known tools used for computations and calculations. The abacus is believed to have originated in ancient Babylon around 2700-2300 BCE. 

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Babylon, located in Mesopotamia, (near present-day Hillah, Iraq) was a centre for advancements in law, science, and astronomy, and Abacus is one of the gifts Babylon gave to the humanity.

The earliest abacus is believed to be a simple board or slab covered with sand, used for writing and counting. Over time, its design evolved, incorporating grooves and counters to facilitate calculations. With advancements in transport, communication etc. knowledge was shared around the world in different forms. Abacus also did not remain limited to Babylon and was spread across cultures, influencing designs like the Roman abacus and the Chinese "suanpan." 

The Roman abacus was designed as a metal plate with grooves or slots. The beads could slide in these grooves to represent numbers. There were longer grooves which were meant for whole numbers and shorter grooves which were meant for fractions. It resulted in enhanced versatility of the Abacus making it suitable for various calculations and hence a popular tool among merchants, engineers, and tax collectors. The Roman abacus was popularised quickly as it simplified calculations with Roman numerals. Its compact size allowed it to fit in a pocket, making it a practical tool for daily use.

The Chinese abacus, also known as the “suanpan,” dates back to the Han Dynasty (2nd century BCE). It was a modification of the Babylonian abacus and consisted of a rectangular wooden frame with vertical rods, very similar to the modern abacus. This design allows for efficient calculations, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and even square and cube roots.

Just as the Roman abacus, the “suanpan” was used extensively in commerce, education, and administration in ancient China. Gradually, its influence reached the surrounding regions, and led to the development of similar tools. Among these tools, one was the Japanese “soroban”.

The modern abacus which is commonly used for mental math training is the Japanese abacus, known as the “soroban”. the Japanese refined the design of the Chinese abacus  and developed the “soroban” in the 14th century. The soroban features a simpler structure, with one bead on the upper deck (representing five) and four beads on the lower deck (representing ones), compared to the suanpan's two beads on the upper deck and five on the lower deck.

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This simple change made “soroban” easier to learn its use and perform calculations . Today, the abacus training programs worldwide use this Japanese abacus i.e. “soroban”, in their mental maths training programs. It is used extensively for improving cognitive skills.  Multiple types of modern day calculators have been developed, but still abacus holds its place among them and is a popular and effective teaching aid.

So, this was the fascinating journey of abacus, starting from Babylon, reaching Japan and then the whole world. Now, when it is clearly evident that we  should train our kids in abacus usage, to gain advantage of speed during calculations and to boost confidence of the young learners, the quest for a good abacus educator or a good abacus training organisation starts for us parents. Good maths programs can also be beneficial in improving the computational skills, problem solving skills, focus, retention and confidence. Bambinos alpha math program can come handy for the same. It is learner centric program which is available in both one to one, or group classes format.  More information about the Bambinos alpha math program can be obtained by visiting the official website of Bambinos Live or by contacting on the numbers provided online. 

Alpha Math offers a game-based learning experience with a unique four-step approach to mastering every concept in math. Schedule a Free Class Now