[ASK] Can Abacus be Used to Multiply Two Single Digits?

Monox D. I-Fly · 2016-03-06 16:12:09

Can an abacus (by abacus here I mean suanpan, the Chinese abacus) be used to do multiplication of two single digit numbers? Like 4 x 8, 7 x 5, 9 x 7, etc. I have been Googling around but all of them only show multiplication with either one or more number have more than one digit. One source even states that an abacus can't be used to multiply a single digit number with another single digit number and students must memorize the multiplication table to be able to multiply using abacus. This is weird to me, if abacus was built to make people count easier and it helps with addition, which is the simplest math operation, why to be able to multiply with abacus you have to memorize the multiplication table, in which multiplication is more complicated than addition?

David · 2016-03-06 22:18:42

When I was in Chinese school, we started memorizing the timetable up to 12 x 12 at a very young age. If I remember correctly, the abacus is not meant to be used as a "calculator"... It lets you keep track of things.

mathaholic · 2016-03-07 02:04:55

Well, I've tried some abacuses online and I had a hard time using it for multiplication So maybe not

Monox D. I-Fly · 2016-03-07 05:15:19

I have searched and found out that it could, by repeating the addition process manually...

bobbym · 2016-03-07 05:53:39

Lots of years ago we were also taught the multiplication table at a very early age.

Monox D. I-Fly · 2016-03-07 11:07:09

It's weird that those abacus users can memorize multiplication table but need an abacus to do a simple addition.

bobbym · 2016-03-07 11:25:41

I would think they use it for a bit more than simple addition.

David · 2016-03-07 23:48:23

Monox D. I-Fly wrote:

It's weird that those abacus users can memorize multiplication table but need an abacus to do a simple addition.

They use it to keep track of things. This is interesting... If you can read mandarin. http://baike.baidu.com/view/666642.htm

Monox D. I-Fly · 2016-03-08 02:13:20

David wrote:

Monox D. I-Fly wrote:
It's weird that those abacus users can memorize multiplication table but need an abacus to do a simple addition.
They use it to keep track of things. This is interesting... If you can read mandarin. http://baike.baidu.com/view/666642.htm

I can't read Mandarin but I know some Kanjis. Why is there the word "heart" (心) in the title?

bobbym · 2016-03-08 04:52:28

I can speak and understand a little Japanese, I can not read Mandarin. I have seen people calculate very quickly with an abacus.

David · 2016-03-08 04:59:38

珠心算 is the art of using abacus while calculating...
心算 is the art of calculating numbers your head without writing it down... (You count in your "heart")

An abacus is like the paper and the pencil combined together...

Monox D. I-Fly · 2016-03-08 05:53:23

bobbym wrote:

I can speak and understand a little Japanese, I can not read Mandarin. I have seen people calculate very quickly with an abacus.

Do you also know some Kanjis, ボッビーム?

David wrote:

珠心算 is the art of using abacus while calculating...
心算 is the art of calculating numbers your head without writing it down... (You count in your "heart")

What are the meanings of the other Chinese characters?

bobbym · 2016-03-08 06:08:32

Do you also know some Kanjis, ボッビーム?

I do not.

Monox D. I-Fly · 2016-03-08 21:34:28

mathaholic wrote:

Well, I've tried some abacuses online and I had a hard time using it for multiplication So maybe not

Can you multiple two numbers which both have two digits?

bobbym · 2016-03-09 11:36:08

I do not know how to use an abacus, but in the old days they could beat guys with adding machines.

Monox D. I-Fly · 2016-03-09 15:15:48

Yes, I have read about it. By the way, can abacus be used to count divisions of two single digit numbers, for example, 8:2?

bobbym · 2016-03-09 16:14:14

Hi;

Watching this video I would say on a problem like that you would use mental division.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j6ATeNT1So

Monox D. I-Fly · 2016-03-09 16:22:18

I asked about a suanpan though, not a soroban.

bobbym · 2016-03-09 18:40:47

Yes I know. I was hoping to find any abacus that could do what you requested.

Monox D. I-Fly · 2016-03-10 04:54:17

I gave up and just went with repeated subtraction.

bobbym · 2016-03-10 05:00:39

Is this for a program?

Monox D. I-Fly · 2016-03-10 05:02:22

No. This time my boss asked me to write a book about abacus.

bobbym · 2016-03-10 05:09:31

Okay, it does not seem to be able to.

The slide rule is like that, it can do lots of nice calculations but you have to place the decimal point!

Monox D. I-Fly · 2016-03-10 05:19:34

This is harder than I imagined.

bobbym · 2016-03-10 05:22:55

Is the Chinese one significantly different than the Soroban?

Math Is Fun Forum

#1 2016-03-06 16:12:09

[ASK] Can Abacus be Used to Multiply Two Single Digits?

#2 2016-03-06 22:18:42

Re: [ASK] Can Abacus be Used to Multiply Two Single Digits?

#3 2016-03-07 02:04:55

Re: [ASK] Can Abacus be Used to Multiply Two Single Digits?

#4 2016-03-07 05:15:19

Re: [ASK] Can Abacus be Used to Multiply Two Single Digits?

#5 2016-03-07 05:53:39

Re: [ASK] Can Abacus be Used to Multiply Two Single Digits?

#6 2016-03-07 11:07:09

Re: [ASK] Can Abacus be Used to Multiply Two Single Digits?

#7 2016-03-07 11:25:41

Re: [ASK] Can Abacus be Used to Multiply Two Single Digits?

#8 2016-03-07 23:48:23

Re: [ASK] Can Abacus be Used to Multiply Two Single Digits?

#9 2016-03-08 02:13:20

Re: [ASK] Can Abacus be Used to Multiply Two Single Digits?

#10 2016-03-08 04:52:28

Re: [ASK] Can Abacus be Used to Multiply Two Single Digits?

#11 2016-03-08 04:59:38

Re: [ASK] Can Abacus be Used to Multiply Two Single Digits?

#12 2016-03-08 05:53:23

Re: [ASK] Can Abacus be Used to Multiply Two Single Digits?

#13 2016-03-08 06:08:32

Re: [ASK] Can Abacus be Used to Multiply Two Single Digits?

#14 2016-03-08 21:34:28

Re: [ASK] Can Abacus be Used to Multiply Two Single Digits?

#15 2016-03-09 11:36:08

Re: [ASK] Can Abacus be Used to Multiply Two Single Digits?

#16 2016-03-09 15:15:48

Re: [ASK] Can Abacus be Used to Multiply Two Single Digits?

#17 2016-03-09 16:14:14

Re: [ASK] Can Abacus be Used to Multiply Two Single Digits?

#18 2016-03-09 16:22:18

Re: [ASK] Can Abacus be Used to Multiply Two Single Digits?

#19 2016-03-09 18:40:47

Re: [ASK] Can Abacus be Used to Multiply Two Single Digits?

#20 2016-03-10 04:54:17

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#21 2016-03-10 05:00:39

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#22 2016-03-10 05:02:22

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#23 2016-03-10 05:09:31

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#24 2016-03-10 05:19:34

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#25 2016-03-10 05:22:55

Re: [ASK] Can Abacus be Used to Multiply Two Single Digits?

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