What Is Abacus And How Does It Work?
What is Abacus and what does it do? Well, it is a multi-sensory, ancient calculating tool that helps kids understand math in an interesting and straightforward manner. The abacus, also known as the "Suanpan," is a 2,000-year-old Chinese calculator. Besides that, the Japanese abacus, or Soroban, is the most commonly used abacus.
As a matter of fact, the word "abacus" originates from the Latin word "abax," which means "flat surface." An abacus was a tool used in ancient times to perform mathematical calculations by shifting pebbles on a flat surface. This tool evolved over time and it now consists of a metal frame with colorful beads.
Abacus Structure
An abacus is a manual calculator that represents numbers with sliding beads. Likewise, the rows and columns of beads represents numbers. In terms of structure, the abacus has one upper and four lower beads in one rod. A standard student abacus or teacher abacus has 17 rods. There are five dots dividing the
middle portion of the instrument. The horizontal bar is the name given to this partition. When a bead touches this bar, its value increases.
How Does It Work?
In order to understand how an abacus works, we must first know how numbers display on the tool. The upper bead has a value of 5, while the lower ones have a value of 1. To start counting, push one bead toward the horizontal bar; thus, count 1 and two beads go up counts 2, 3, 4, etc. The value bar receives one lower bead in addition to the five upper beads for a total of five. It then becomes 6. Add 1 lower bead and leave the upper bead on the horizontal bar for a total of 6 beads. This is how an abacus counts. Some formulas, like
+1=+5-4
+2=+5-3
+3=+5-2
+4=+5-1
+9=+10-1
+8=+10-2.
So on.
A student can use the abacus math program to solve math problems like addition, subtraction, multiplication and even square or cubic root extraction.
Other Benefits Of Abacus
As you can see, Abacus Tool bases its calculations on how the beads move. Children can use one hand or both to perform calculations. Similarly, using both hand fingers is preferable because it improves left- and right-brain coordination. Studies have demonstrated that studying the abacus enhances mental computation and cognitive abilities. Additionally, it also promotes overall brain development.
Students who receive abacus instruction learn to mentally move the beads on the abacus instrument in accordance with the sum requirements. The physical abacus is therefore not used, but the fundamental method of calculation is. Furthermore, the visualization enables the students to perform the calculations at breakneck speed. This is when we say a child can do mental matt and can calculate faster than a calculator.
Which Is The Ideal Age To Begin Abacus Training?
When to begin abacus training for children is a source of great consternation among parents. All experts agree that the best age to begin teaching abacus to children is when they are 4 or 5 years old. The logic advanced is that the majority of brain development occurs at this age. During this time, the human brain develops and generates new brain cells. On the other hand, neurological development stops after the age of 15 years. They concluded that between this age, a child's brain develops by nearly 75%.
They also believe that between the ages of 5 and 14, children can participate in a variety of activities to help the brain develop. Moreover, at this age, the brain is in
a learning phase and quickly adapts to new things. This age's learning lasts a lifetime. We all know that at this age, responsibilities and otherworldly burdens are at their lowest. Apart from that, their brains can easily learn new things, ideas, processes and so on as well as adapt to them with minimal effort. It is time to teach them new skills that will make their academic journey more enjoyable.
How To Identify The Right Abacus Class For Kids?
The next challenge for parents will be to find the right abacus classes for their children. One should take the distance required to travel to the class into account when choosing the best Abacus class. Long journeys can exhaust a child and lead to a lack of interest in learning. Keep in mind that learning with an Abacus is better in an after-school program.
You can save time by enrolling your child in our abacus math programs. Along with offline Abacus classes, we now have the online Live Abacus E-Learning Platform.
Another important factor to consider before making a decision is the training quality. If the teaching standards are inadequate, a child will likely lose interest, drop out in the middle and, may not complete the entire eight-level Abacus Training course.
Final Thoughts
Abacus can help kids improve their mental math skills. Consider teaching your child how to use an abacus if you want to help them to do better in maths. Aside from that, abacus training can also help children develop important life skills like concentration, patience and discipline. Teaching your child how to use an abacus is a great way to show your love for education and your desire for their success. UCMAS provides a variety of brain development programs for children aged between 4 to 13. Thus enroll your child in our abacus math program and watch them improve dramatically in their mathematical abilities, concentration, confidence and academic life.