How to Use a Chinese Abacus: A Step-by-step Guide to Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division, Roots and More

by Paul Green

Book by GREEN, PAUL

146 pages, Paperback

First published July 23, 2007

Reviews

[Leigh Hancock]

A lot of my friends are responding to the shift in world powers and the rapidly decreasing oil supply and the almost-certain future depression and apocalypse by starting organic farms and raising goats and learning how to dry things like bananas. I, however, am staking my future well-being on the Chinese abacus (not to be confused with the Japanese abacus, which has two fewer beads per rod...important when you're 70 million people on a tiny island.)

At any rate, I'm hoping that the back cover's assertion that "this useful and impressive skill would be an asset to anyone" is true...and that when all the computers and calculators and digitized inventory systems come crashing down, those of us with basic bead counting skills will be, well, if not demi-gods, at least able to count the sowbugs and dried roots we're living on.

I plan to start reading as soon as I find my abacus.

[Kevin Demel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just a simple book that explained how to use an abacus. But I didn't think it used very good explanations.

[Rebekah Sheppard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel confident in being able to add and subtract using an abacus. It will take time to feel comfortable doing multiplication and division. Interestingly enough this 6000 year old (3500 BC)technology can carry more digits than some calculators, and it does square and cube roots too!