Abacus

math tools · ancient technology · calculation

Beads on rods. An abacus has beads that slide back and forth on wooden or metal rods held in a wooden frame. By moving the beads into different positions, you can add, subtract, multiply, and divide numbers.

Used everywhere. People in ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, China, and Russia all invented and used abacuses thousands of years ago. It was one of the first tools humans created specifically for doing math.

Super fast math. Skilled users could perform calculations on an abacus almost as quickly as people can on modern calculators. The beads let you move numbers around quickly without having to write anything down.

Replaced by computers. During the 1980s, handheld electronic calculators became cheap and easy to buy, so fewer people used abacuses. However, some schools still teach abacus skills because it helps kids understand how numbers work.