Abacus (Invention)

Invention of Abacus

A calculating device consisting of balls strung on wires or rods set in a frame. It is probably of Babylonian origin but its use declined in Europe with the introduction of Arabic numerals in about tenth century AD. Until recently it was still use in the Middle East and Japan. Ancient types of abacus have also been found in China, thought that same to have been taken there by Arabic traders. The first known use of them in China was during the twelfth century where the device was called the 'Suan-Pan'. It can be used to add, subtract, multiply and divide and to calculate square roots and cube roots.