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An abacus is a calculating tool that has been used for centuries in various parts of the world. It consists of a frame with rods on which beads are moved to perform mathematical calculations. Despite the widespread adoption of electronic calculators and computers, the abacus remains a popular tool for mental arithmetic and is still used in some parts of the world for educational purposes.

Definitions:

1. Abacus: a calculating tool that consists of a frame with rods on which beads are moved to perform mathematical calculations.
2. Bead: a small, round object that is used on an abacus to represent a number or quantity.
3. Rod: a thin, vertical bar on an abacus on which beads are moved to perform calculations.
4. Column: a group of rods on an abacus that is used to represent a place value (such as ones, tens, hundreds, etc.).
5. Decimal point: a symbol used on an abacus to separate the integer part of a number from the fractional part (for example, 3.14 represents 3 ones and 14 hundredths).

Examples:

1. Chinese abacus: The Chinese abacus, also known as a suanpan, is the most well-known type of abacus. It consists of a wooden frame with two parallel rows of beads. The upper row has five beads, and the lower row has two beads. The beads on the upper row represent the units, tens, hundreds, and so on, while the beads on the lower row represent the fractions (tenths, hundredths, etc.). To perform a calculation, the beads are moved along the rods to represent the numbers being calculated.
2. Japanese abacus: The Japanese abacus, also known as a soroban, is similar to the Chinese abacus but with a few differences. It has a rectangular frame with one bead on the top row and four beads on the bottom row. The top bead represents the five units, while the bottom beads represent the ones. The Japanese abacus is typically used for more complex calculations, such as square roots and cubic roots.
3. Russian abacus: The Russian abacus, also known as a schoty, is similar to the Chinese abacus but with a few differences. It has a wooden frame with 10 beads on each rod. The beads on the left side of the abacus represent the units, while the beads on the right side represent the tens. The Russian abacus is typically used for addition, subtraction, and multiplication.
4. Korean abacus: The Korean abacus, also known as a janggu, is similar to the Chinese abacus but with a few differences. It has a wooden frame with two parallel rows of beads, with five beads on the upper row and two beads on the lower row. The upper row represents the units, tens, hundreds, and so on, while the lower row represents the fractions. The Korean abacus is typically used for multiplication and division.
5. Roman abacus: The Roman abacus, also known as a calculi, was used by the ancient Romans for arithmetic calculations. It consisted of a wooden frame with rods on which pebbles or beads were placed to represent numbers. The Roman abacus was used for addition, subtraction, and multiplication, and it was the predecessor of the modern-day calculator.

Quiz:

1. What is an abacus used for?
2. How many beads are on a Chinese abacus?
3. How is a Japanese abacus different from a Chinese abacus?
4. What is a Russian abacus used for?