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Article: Abacus
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Copyright informationCOPYRIGHT 2002 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Abacus
The abacus is the most ancient calculating device known. It has endured over time and is still in use in some countries. An abacus consists of a wooden frame, rods, and beads. Each rod represents a different place value
—
ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, and so on. Each bead represents a number, usually 1 or 5, and can be moved along the rods. Addition and subtraction can easily be performed by moving beads along the wires of the abacus.
The word
abacus
is Latin. It is taken from the Greek word
abax
, which means "flat surface." The predecessors to the abacus
—
counting boards
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were just that: flat surfaces. Often they were simply boards or tables on which ...
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Article: Need for beads keeps specialty shop rolling.(Weekly Briefing)
Los Angeles Business Journal;
April 26, 2004 ;
361 words
......We sell thousands of different items, basically all beads. Sequins, rhinestones, appliques, metal findings...than a penny all the Way up to strands of large amber beads for $1,000. The beads we sell the most are rhinestones, tiny cut Austrian...
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