The Abacus: The World's First Computing System Pck Pap/Ac Edition

by Jesse Dilson (Author), Angelia Pozzi (Illustrator)

21 customer reviews

ISBN-13: 978-0312104092

ISBN-10: 031210409X

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The abacus is as useful and effecient a machine today as it was when it was first created centures ago. Whether you're an expert in the latest computer technology or you're mastering arithmetic and word problems for the first time, it won't take long to learn the basics (and even the not-so-basics) of adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing on this ingenious and fun-to-use mathematical tool.

The Abacus: The World's First Computing System

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About the Author

Jesse Dilson's classic text, The Abacus, was initially published nearly forty years ago.

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Product details

Paperback: 143 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press; Pck Pap/Ac edition (March 15, 1995)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 031210409X
ISBN-13: 978-0312104092
Product Dimensions: 4.5 x 0.7 x 8 inches
Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,191,212 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1002 in Books > Science & Math > Mathematics > History
- #9286 in Books > Textbooks > Science & Mathematics > Mathematics
- #14359 in Books > Textbooks > Computer Science

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3.9 out of 5 stars

5 star		34%
4 star		33%
3 star		19%
2 star		0%
1 star		14%

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Top Customer Reviews

poor and dated

ByFred K. Johnsonon November 18, 2002

Format: Paperback

This book has some nice anecdotal information on the abacus. The one that comes with it is actually fairly nice. It is a Chinese 2/5 with 9 columns. This is not really enough for multiplication and division problems. Still it isn't a bad one. The algorithms for using it in the book are wrong. For instance you properly add and subtract going from left to right. You should actually do it this way on paper. Try it, it's easier than right to left. Yes they work but are not how to use it properly. If you want to really learn how to us it get Takashi Kojima's book, "Japanese Abacus: Its Use and Theory". This book will really teach you how and includes the standard tests for third and first degree certification. Understand that most modern use of the abacus is based on the 1/4 Japanese Soroban. You will never use both 5 count beads on the top, just one. And on the bottom you will use 4 of the 5 beads. You might get confused learning proper use with a Chinese Suan Pan(abacus). Still they are nice and some have larger beads easier to work than those on a Japanese Soroban. I use an abacus for teaching my first grade twins math. They are great for kids learning how to carry etc. When I was in highschool calculators were new and expensive. I used a Soroban with my slide rule. with some practice you can actually do some remarkable things with one even in the day of cheap calculators. For an alternative place for getting an abacus check out Tomoe Soroban on the internet.

22 comments 78 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Delightful--entertaining and informative

ByCraig Kenneth Bryanton January 31, 2001

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I spent years mildly curious about the abacus--particularly, any time I saw film of schoolkids or shopkeepers in Asia producing inerrant sums and differences with their fingers all a blur. Then, I saw this book, bundled with a little wooden abacus, and decided I'd give this ancient calculator a try.
I found the book an delight, with its friendly discussions of the history of the abacus, its variant forms from land to land (Chinese vs. Japanese, etc.), and, even its jolly little excursion into binary arithmetic on the abacus. Yes, I suppose it is a short book, and it doesn't spend a lot of pages on mathematical drill, but how many pages do you need? It's not like there's a complicated operating system or scripting language for this venerable tool...just the curious yet undeniable pleasure of sliding beads along sticks, just as people have been doing for centuries...
I should also mention that the abacus makes a great conversation piece, sitting out on the top of your Pentium tower at work. "My new palmtop," I tell everyone who asks.

0Comment 22 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Way too simple and short

ByVincent S. Yeungon June 27, 2000

Format: Paperback

If you thought you can buy this book and do arithmetic on the abacus, I'm sorry, but you're wrong. First, this book is WAY TOO SHORT to describe much. It's less than 1/2 inch thick and the size of each page is slightly bigger than that of a regular dictionary. Second, much of the sections don't relate to the abacus at all! There's one long chapte that talks about the binary system in computers and how you can use the abacus' top part to do binary arithmetic, which is basically pointless. Another chapter is a story about how a westerner gets amaze by the abacus, which is also useless. Out of the 140 pages, only about 70 pages teaches you how to use the abacus. Also, although I haven't confirmed it yet, I am not sure if the way the author describes to do multiplication and division is the correct way to use it. I'll have to check. His way makes it the same as doing everything out on paper.
But still, look at what he teaches you: adding subtraction in detail, and some multiplication and division with doubted validity. He also takes like a bunch of pages describing adding and subtracting decimals. But that's unnecessary because it's the exact same thing with minor differences that he could have stated in a page and replaced with more information, like exponentiation.
The included abacus has height about that of 1 floppy disk and width of that of 1 and 1/4 floppies. It might even be smaller. Plus, it's hard to move and isn't colored (just wood and plastic).
In sum, this book is a total ripoff if you had wanted to do some cool stuff on the abacus. On the other hand, if you just wanted the book for casual purposes, maybe it's worth it. But the author's tone treats you like a moron that can't do arithmetic (he explains things like carrying and borrowing like you're in kindergarten and treats his multiplication and division methods, which are exact replicas from our normal paper ways, like the hardest things in the world)

0Comment 45 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Good basic abacus book and good beginner's abacus

ByA customeron August 17, 1998

Format: Paperback

I bought this at a local bookstore and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's an entertaining read, often humorous. Dillon explains how to do the four basic functions (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) for decimal numbers and even includes a section on binary arithmetic!
Most of the book focuses on the techniques for using an abacus, but it also covers some of the historical aspects of the development of mathematics.
This book is best for older kids and adults since it can be kind of dry at times. While it includes instructions for building an abacus, the 9-column Chinese-style "5/2" abacus that comes with the book is very nice for beginners.
Unfortunately, there are a number of things the book does not teach, such as finding roots. Still, it's well worth a look.

0Comment 8 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

The Abacus: The World's First Computer System + Abacus

ByTom Hudsonon November 2, 2006

Format: Paperback

The text is poorly written and too much text is spent on explaining ancient counting devices and very little text explaining the abacus. The amount of time spent explaining the use of the abacus itself could be considered an 'epilogue' in back of the book and is completely in error with very poor examples for its operation. It is a shame that this book is still on the market. I do NOT recommend this paperback in spite of the free -- somewhat small -- abacus.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

Four Stars

Everything was great.

Published 1 month ago by Mike

Five Stars

great

Published 11 months ago by john failing

Basic guide to Abacus math

Old material I already had in other books. Nice to have it in one palce to pass along.

Published 1 year ago by Amazon Customer

A good book for the abacus history

When I ordered this book, I was under the impression that it would teach me how to use the 10 X 10 abacus.

Published on May 24, 2014 by Mark1968

Part Story/Part How To

Great book for learn the basics of the Abacus. It includes a story and a partial history of the Abacus.Read more

Published on May 18, 2014 by Christopher Rose

Abacus for dummies!

This is a great book for those who would like to teach abacus to their kids. It is simply written so kids who can read can teach themselves.Read more

Published on October 17, 2013 by Joan L.

Excellent

Purchased as a gift for a friend who absolutely loved it. Learning to use it is fairly easy for those who want to.

Published on February 16, 2013 by John C. Haslett

Pleased with purchase

The Abacus book was to increase my knowledge of a replica old chinese Abacus that I have in my collection

Published on October 11, 2012 by Lance Ross Lewis

Worst Service Ever

They sent a wrong item (less value) but refused to admit it. Later they refused to do an exchange for me after my calls and email. I decided to return the wrong item.Read more

Published on July 22, 2011 by truthteller

Great abacus book. Fast delivery. Plus abacus!!!

I bought an abacus in Hong Kong about two decades ago but did not know how to use it. This small book is efficient and easy to follow.Read more

Published on March 17, 2011 by C.J. Prince

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