Computation using Cranmer Abacus

Calculating numbers using the Cranmer abacus it is important to remember that the vertical rods indicate units, tens, hundreds, and so on. The numbers are usually manipulated as well as recorded through moving the beads against the cross bar on its corresponding rods.

Cranmer Abacus and the Blind

It is very important to remember that an abacus is different than a calculator, it is a passive device. The abacus will not perform arithmetical processes and that it does not contain any information that will make the user to achieve the answer without a good grasp of the lessons in relation to mathematical operations and relationships.

The users of the abacus obtained calculations as a result of their knowledge and understanding of how numbers behave not because the abacus can do it automatically.

Persons who are visually impaired for instance blind students who were taught properly on how to use the Cranmer abacus in relation to solving math problems or calculations that involve addition, subtraction, division, multiplication, square root and cube root.

The abacus does not allow permanent storage of the results of every calculation since beads should be rearranged in order to perform the next mathematical problem. It is advisable that the answers derived from the calculation using the abacus should be recorded in various formats such as voice recording, braille and word processing among others.