My Science School

An abacus is a frame of beads used in China and neighbouring countries for making calculations. A skilled abacus user can produce answers to some calculations almost as quickly as someone using an electronic calculator.

The word abacus is derived from the Latin word abax, which means a flat surface, board or tablet. As such, an abacus is a calculating table or tablet. The abacus is the oldest device in history to be used for arithmetic purposes, such as counting. It is typically an open wooden rectangular shape with wooden beads on vertical rods. Each bead can represent a different number. For simple arithmetic purposes, each bead can represent one number. So, as a person moves beads from one side to the other, they would count, 'one, two, three', etc.

An abacus can be used to calculate large numbers, as well. The columns of beads could represent different place values. For example, one column may represent numbers in the hundreds, while another column may represent numbers in the thousands.

One of the most popular kinds of abacuses is the Chinese abacus, also known as the suanpan. Rules on how to use the suanpan have dated all the way back to the 13th century.

On a Chinese abacus, the rod or column to the far right is in the ones place. The one to the left of that is in the tens place, then the hundreds, etc. So, the columns are different place values and the beads are used to represent different numbers within those place values. For addition, beads on the suanpan are moved up towards the beam in the middle. For subtraction, they are moved down towards the bottom or outer edge of the suanpan. The rules of use are a bit more intricate and complicated, but this is the general idea of how one is used.

Geometry is the branch of mathematics that is concerned with points, lines, surfaces and solids, and their relation to each other. Shapes, both flat and three-dimensional, are an important part of geometry. When we describe something as geometric, we mean that it has a regular, often angular pattern of lines or shapes.

Geometry is a term used to refer to a branch in mathematics that deals with geometrical objects such as straight lines, points and circles and other shapes. However, circles are the most elementary of geometric objects. The term geometry was derived from a Greek word, ‘geo’ which means earth and metron, meaning measure. These words reflect its actual roots. However, Plato knew how to differentiate the process of mensuration as used in construction from the philosophical implication of Geometry. In essence, Geometry in Greek implies earth measurements. Geometry was first organized by Euclid a mathematician who was able to arrange more than 400 geometric suggestions. Being one of the early sciences, it is the substance of most developments and it was believed that it has been in use way before in Egypt. Evidence shows that geometry dates back to the days of Mesopotamia in 3000 BC and is attributed to numerous developments since its discovery.

Geometry is not just a math topic created to make your life harder. It is a topic that was developed to answer questions about shapes and space related to construction and surveying. It answers questions about all the different shapes we see, such as how much space an object or shape can hold. Geometry even has application in the field of astronomy, as it is used to calculate the position of stars and planets. Over time, different people contributed new and different things to grow geometry from its basic beginnings to the geometry we know, use and study today.

The first written record that we have of geometry comes from Egypt back in 2000 BC. Some of the earliest texts that have been discovered include the Egyptian Rhind papyrus, Moscow papyrus and some Babylonian clay tablets, such as the Plimpton 322. These early geometry works included formulas for calculating lengths, areas and volumes of various shapes, including those of a pyramid.