How did people keep track of numbers long before pen and paper were widely available?
How does addition and subtraction work if they don't have a handy written form for numbers?
Say they can't read or write, but can count, how do they add, subtract, multiply, or divide large numbers?
The answer to all these questions is the abacus!
How does addition and subtraction work if they don't have a handy written form for numbers?
Say they can't read or write, but can count, how do they add, subtract, multiply, or divide large numbers?
The answer to all these questions is the abacus!
An abacus is a device used for addition and subtraction, and the related operations of multiplication and division. It does not require the use of pen and paper, and it's good for any base number system.
The oldest surviving abacus is the Salamis tablet used by the Babylonians around 300 B.C., discovered in 1846 on the island of Salamis.
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