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​The abacus, which the Japanese call "Soroban" and the Chinese call "Suan Pan", is an device made up of parallel rods, each containing five beads (1:4 bead). It is used to perform arithmetic calculations and is still used today in places like China, Japan and Russia.

The abacus system of metal arithmetic is based on the principles of abacus calculation. All children, who are taught by a trained instructor, are able to mentally visualize an abacus in their minds and perform simple to complicated calculations, which includes addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and so on, on this virtual abacus.

 

North American children usually find numbers harder to grasp. That is because arithmetic is not something they can see or touch. Children see numbers as purely abstract, and this leads to many children hating mathematics. By working with the beads on the abacus, math becomes someting that your child can understand.  The concept of converting numbers into pictures helps them grasp math concepts earsier and faster, such as:

 

  • Value of numbers

  • The decimal numeral system (also called base-10 number system)

  • Digit positions

  • Combinations and complements of numbers

  • Carrying and borrowing

  • Place values

  • The times table

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