Abacus Counting

Abacus counting is the second step towards learning Abacus. If you have learned to count on fingers, you can easily count on the abacus tool. In my earlier post (Abacus Finger Counting) where I explained each finger represents the value 1 and thumb represent the value 5. Similarly, the abacus has also 4 beads on the lower side of the abacus tool and each lower bead represents the value 1 whereas the upper bead represents the value 5.

You can see in the image above, abacus and its parts are shown. In order to start counting, you have to use the unit rod and move towards rods on the left side for ten’s, hundred’s and so on. On the right side of the unit rod, decimal place values can be shown. In the above image, master abacus or teacher abacus is shown whereas, in the video below, abacus counting from 1 to 50 is shown on student abacus. The only difference between a master and student abacus is size. Master abacus is used by the abacus trainer to teach abacus while student abacus is used by children who take abacus classes.

You can see one’s rod is used to count from 1 to 9 and to make 10 ten’s rod is used and it will be used up to 99. In this similar fashion, to make 100 hundred’s rod will be used and it will be used up to 999 and so on as much as you want to count.

You can also watch this video wherein I have explained abacus counting using the master abacus. You can also watch the full abacus course on my YouTube channel. Click to watch video tutorial.