Lesson 1: Introduction to the Abacus

Beginner Level

Instructions

The abacus has 13 columns, each with 1 red bead (heaven bead) worth 5 and 4 blue beads (earth beads) worth 1 each.
Columns represent place values: rightmost is ones, next is tens, then hundreds, and so on.
Look at the rightmost column—no beads moved means 0. Try sliding the red bead down to see 5!

T

100B

10B

B

100M

10M

M

100K

10K

K

100

10

1

5

1

1

1

1

5

1

1

1

1

5

1

1

1

1

5

1

1

1

1

5

1

1

1

1

5

1

1

1

1

5

1

1

1

1

5

1

1

1

1

5

1

1

1

1

5

1

1

1

1

5

1

1

1

1

5

1

1

1

1

5

1

1

1

1

Value: 0