ABSTRACT
The basic abacus consists of a rectangular frame, generally made out of wood, in which the two longer sides are joined by a series of equally spaced columns, on each of which is threaded a number of beads, which can be freely moved up and down. In Japan the National Abacus Education Association is constantly devising new algorithms to meet the demands of industry and commerce. The practical advantages can be illustrated by the use made of the abacus in the many banks and insurance companies where the processing of figures is a routine operation carried out by a computer. In a country where small, traditionally-based enterprises have a high status, the continued use of the abacus not only serves to preserve the manufacture of a craft product, but also extends the scope for private enterprise in the field of education. There is a satisfaction in being a skilled user far above a skilled typist in the Western world.
