Abacus I

Course ID: ABA-121

Audience
Students enrolled in the Hadley School for Professional Studies

Course Description
Learn to do arithmetic the abacus way. In use for thousands of years, the abacus is an efficient, accurate tool for doing math. By using the abacus provided with this course, you can add, subtract, multiply, and divide whole numbers and decimals.

Available Formats
large print or online

Organization
fifteen lessons

Credit
3 CEUs

Prerequisites
prior knowledge of math facts

Overview
Fifteen assignments are submitted to the instructor.

Grading
letter grades

Maximum Completion Time
7 ½ months

Objectives and Content

This course is designed to help the student master mathematical calculations on the abacus, which affords more speed and ease of manipulation.

Unit 1 on addition includes Lessons 1–4. After completing Lesson 1, the student will be able to

set and clear numbers
read numbers
add numbers

After completing Lesson 2, the student will be able to

add one-digit numbers directly and indirectly

After completing Lesson 3, the student will be able to

directly and indirectly add numbers with two or more digits
practice skills by using the doubling exercise

After completing Lesson 4, the student will be able to

determine which unit mark serves as the decimal point in an addition problem
directly or indirectly add any decimal number
add sums of money

Unit 2 includes Lessons 5–8. After completing Lesson 5, the student will be able to

define multiplier, multiplicand, and product
set up a whole-number multiplication problem containing one digit in the multiplier and any number of digits in the multiplicand
multiply whole numbers with one digit in the multiplier and any number of digits in the multiplicand
apply the rules for setting subproducts

After completing Lesson 6, the student will be able to

set up a multiplication problem with any number of digits in the multiplier and one digit in the multiplicand
demonstrate the rules of positioning, especially the concept of overlapping positions
apply the rules of positioning to multiplication problems

After completing Lesson 7, the student will be able to

multiply whole numbers with any number of digits in the multiplier, the multiplicand, or both
work a multiplication problem where zeros occur in the middle of the multiplier, the multiplicand, or both
work a multiplication problem with a multiplicand, a multiplier, or both, ending with one or more zeros

After completing Lesson 8, the student will be able to

accurately place the decimal point when multiplying decimals
multiply a series of numbers

Unit 3, which covers subtraction, includes Lessons 9 and 10. After completing Lesson 9, the student will be able to

define minuend, subtrahend, and remainder
directly subtract whole numbers
indirectly subtract whole numbers

After completing Lesson 10, the student will be able to

determine the decimal point when subtracting directly or indirectly
subtract amounts of money

Unit 4 includes Lessons 11–15. After completing Lesson 11, the student will be able to

describe the components and basic setup of short-division problems
apply the rules of quotient figure placement
work whole-number short-division problems without remainders
work whole-number short-division problems with remainders

After completing Lesson 12, the student will be able to

apply the rules of quotient figure placement to long division
work long-division whole-number problems, with or without remainders

After completing Lesson 13, the student will be able to

determine the trial divisor, if any, for whole-number division problems
use upward correction, if necessary, when working whole-number long-division problems

After completing Lesson 14, the student will be able to

use downward correction, if necessary, in whole-number long-division problems
use the exception to the rules of downward correction
treat zeros when they appear in the divisor, the dividend, or both

After completing Lesson 15, the student will be able to

determine where to place the decimal point when dividing decimals
divide a series of numbers

Sample Lesson - ABA121 - MS Word Document
Sample Lesson - ABA121 - PDF

Back to Course Catalog