Abacus I

Course ID: ABA-111

Audience
Family Education Program

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, online

Organization
four units, or fifteen lessons

Course Details

Prerequisites
knowledge of basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts

Overview
Fifteen assignments are submitted to the instructor.

Grading
letter grades

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 than other tools.

Unit 1 on addition includes Lessons 1–4. After completing Lesson 1, the student will be able to
a. set and clear numbers
b. read numbers
c. add numbers

After completing Lesson 2, the student will be able to
a. add one-digit numbers directly and indirectly

After completing Lesson 3, the student will be able to
a. directly and indirectly add numbers with two or more digits
b. practice skills by using the doubling exercise

After completing Lesson 4, the student will be able to
a. determine which unit mark serves as the decimal point in an addition problem
b. directly or indirectly add any decimal number
c. add sums of money

Unit 2 includes Lessons 5–8. After completing Lesson 5, the student will be able to
a. define multiplier, multiplicand, and product
b. set up a whole-number multiplication problem containing one digit in the multiplier and any number of digits in the multiplicand
c. multiply whole numbers with one digit in the multiplier and any number of digits in the multiplicand
d. apply the rules for setting subproducts

After completing Lesson 6, the student will be able to
a. set up a multiplication problem with any number of digits in the multiplier and one digit in the multiplicand
b. demonstrate the rules of positioning, especially the concept of overlapping positions
c. apply the rules of positioning to multiplication problems

After completing Lesson 7, the student will be able to
a. multiply whole numbers with any number of digits in the multiplier, the multiplicand, or both
b. work a multiplication problem where zeros occur in the middle of the multiplier, the multiplicand, or both
c. 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
a. accurately place the decimal point when multiplying decimals
b. 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
a. define minuend, subtrahend, and remainder
b. directly subtract whole numbers
c. indirectly subtract whole numbers

After completing Lesson 10, the student will be able to
a. determine the decimal point when subtracting directly or indirectly
b. subtract amounts of money

Unit 4 includes Lessons 11–15. After completing Lesson 11, the student will be able to
a. describe the components and basic setup of short-division problems
b. apply the rules of quotient figure placement
c. work whole-number short-division problems without remainders
d. work whole-number short-division problems with remainders

After completing Lesson 12, the student will be able to
a. apply the rules of quotient figure placement to long division
b work long-division whole-number problems, with or without remainders

After completing Lesson 13, the student will be able to
a. determine the trial divisor, if any, for whole-number division problems
b. use upward correction, if necessary, when working whole-number long-division problems

After completing Lesson 14, the student will be able to
a. use downward correction, if necessary, in whole-number long-division problems
b. use the exception to the rules of downward correction
c. treat zeros when they appear in the divisor, the dividend, or both

After completing Lesson 15, the student will be able to
a. determine where to place the decimal point when dividing decimals
b divide a series of numbers