1 Orient your abacus properly.

Each column in
the top row should have one or two beads per
row, while each column in the bottom row should
have four. When you start, all of the beads
should be up in the top row, and down in the
bottom row. The beads in the top row represent
the number value 5 and each bead in the bottom
row represents the number value 1.[
• 2. Assign each column a place value. As on a modern
calculator, each column of beads represents a "place"
value from which you build a numeral. So, the farthest
column on the right would be the "ones" place (1-9),
the second farthest the "tens" place (10-99), the third
farthest the hundreds (100-999), and so on.[2]
• You can also assign some columns to be decimal places
if necessary
3. Start counting with the beads in the lower row. To
count a digit, push one bead to the "up" position.
"One" would be represented by pushing a single bead
from the bottom row in the farthest column on the
right to the "up" position, "two" by pushing two, etc.[3]
You'll find it easiest to use your thumb to move the
beads in the top row, and your index finger to move
the beads in the bottom row.
4. Complete the "4/5 exchange.” Since there are
only four beads on the bottom row, to go from "four"
to "five," you push the bead on the top row to the
"down" position and push all four beads from the
bottom row down. The abacus at this position is
correctly read "five." To count "six," push one bead
from the bottom row up, so the bead in the top row
is down (representing a value of 5) and one bead
from the bottom row is up.[4]
5. Repeat the pattern for higher numbers. The process is
essentially the same across the abacus. Go from "nine," in which
all the beads in the ones place are pushed up and the bead in the
top row is pushed down, to "ten," in which a single bead from the
bottom row of the tens place is pushed up.
For example, 11 would have one bead in the second column
pushed up, and another in the first column pushed up, all on the
bottom row. 12 would have one in the second column and two in
the first column, all pushed up, and all on the bottom row.
226 would have two in the third column pushed up in the bottom
row, and two in the second column pushed up in the bottom row.
In the first column, one bead on the bottom row would be pushed
up, and one bead on the top row would be pushed down.
1. Input your first number. Say you've got
to add 1234 and 5678. Enter 1234 on the
abacus by pushing up four beads in the
ones place, three in the tens place, two in
the hundreds place, and one in the
thousands place.[5]
2. Start adding from the left. The first numbers you'll add
are the 1 and the 5 from the thousands place, in this case
moving the single bead from the top row of that column
down to add the 5, and leaving the lower bead up for a total
of 6. Likewise, to add 6 in the hundreds place, move the top
bead in the hundreds place down and one bead from the
bottom row up to get a total of 8.
3. Complete an exchange. Since adding the two
numbers in the tens place will result in 10, you'll
carry over a 1 to the hundred place, making it a 9
in that column. Next, put all the beads down in
the tens place, leaving it zero.
In the ones column, you'll do essentially the same
thing. 8 + 4 = 12, so you'll carry the one over to
the tens place, making it 1. This leaves you with 2
in the ones place.
4. Count your beads to get the answer.
You're left with a 6 in the thousands
column, a 9 in the hundreds, a 1 in the
tens, and a 2 in the ones: 1,234 + 5,678
= 6,912.
5. Subtract by doing the addition process in reverse. Borrow digits
from the previous column instead of carrying them over. Say you're
subtracting 867 from 932. After entering 932 into the abacus, start
subtracting column-by-column starting on your left.
8 from 9 is one, so you'll leave a single bead up in the hundreds
place.
In the tens place, you can't subtract 6 from 3, so you'll borrow the 1
in the hundreds place (leaving it zero) and subtract 6 from 13,
making it 7 in the tens place (the upper bead up and two lower
beads).
Do the same thing in the ones place, "borrowing" a bead from the
tens place (making it 6) to subtract 7 from 12 instead of 2.
There should be a 5 in the ones column: 932 - 867 = 65.
1. Record the problem on the abacus. Start at the farthest left
column of the abacus. Say you're multiplying 34 and 12. You need
to assign columns to "3", "4", "X", "1", "2", and "=". Leave the rest
of the columns to the right open for your product.[6]
The “X” and “=” will be represented by blank columns.
The abacus should have 3 beads up in the farthest column left,
four up in the next farthest, a blank column, a column with one
bead up, two beads up in the next, and another blank column. The
rest of the columns are open.
3. Record the products in the correct order. Start recording in the first
answer column, after the blank one for the “=” sign. You will keep moving
beads on the right hand portion of the abacus as you multiply the individual
digits. For the problem 34 x 12:[8]
First, multiply 3 and 1, recording their product in the first answer column.
Push three beads up in that seventh column.
Next, multiply the 3 and the 2, recording their product in the eighth column.
Push up the upper bead and one lower bead in that column.
When you multiply the 4 and the 1, add that product (4) to the eighth
column, the second of the answer columns. Since you're adding a 4 to a 6 in
that column, carry one bead over to the first answer column, making a 4 in
the seventh column and a zero in the eighth.
Record the product of the last two digits 4 and 2 (8), in the last of the answer
columns. They should now read 4, blank, and 8, making your answer 408
2. Multiply by alternating columns. The order here is
critical. You need to multiply the first column by the first
column after the break, then the first column by the
second column after the break. Next, you'll multiply the
second column before the break by the first column
after the break, then the second column before the
break by the second column after the break.[7]
If you are multiplying larger numbers, keep the same
pattern: start with the leftmost digits, and work to the
right.
1. Leave space for the answer to the right of the divisor and
the dividend. When dividing on an abacus, you will put the
divisor in the left-most column(s). Put the dividend in the
columns just to the right of this. The next columns to the
right will be used for the answer. Leave those blank for now.[9]
For example, to divide 34 by 2, count 2 in the left-most
column, and 34 over to the right. Leave the other columns
blank.
2 . Record the quotient. Divide the first
number in the dividend (3) by the divisor (2),
and put it in the first blank column on the
right. 2 goes into 3 once, so record a 1 there.
3. Determine the remainder. Next, you need to
multiply the quotient in the first answer
column (1) by the dividend in column one (2) to
determine the remainder. This product (2)
needs to be subtracted from the first column of
the dividend. The dividend should now read 14.
4. Repeat the process. Record the next digit
of the quotient in the next blank column,
subtracting the product from the divisor
(here, eliminating it). Your board should now
read 2, then 1, 7, showing your divisor and
the quotient, 17.