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| Abacus is one of the oldest educational tools used for calculations. The use of this tool is still prevalent because of the numerous benefits it offers. The calculator makes use of batteries while abacus uses fingers along with the mental energy of the user. |
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| In an electronic calculator, the child feeds the number and the calculator provides the answer but not the explanation. On the other hand, an abacus helps to increase your child’s mental math skills along with many other advantages. |
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| Abacus versus the Calculator |
| In Tokyo on November 12, 1946, there was a contest between a Japanese postal official, Mr. Kiyoshi Matsuzaki, skilled in using abacus and an American soldier using a calculator. The American representative using the calculator was Pvt. Thomas Nathan Wood of the 20th Finance Disturbing Section of General MacArthur’s headquarters. |
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| The contest was held under the sponsorship of the U. S. Army newspaper, the Stars and Stripes.The American used the most modern electromechanical calculator available then but was convincingly defeated in four out of five contests. The Japanese official was faster and was only defeated in the multiplication problems. |
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| The remarks of the Stars and Stripes were as follows: |
| "The machine age tool took a step backward yesterday at the Emie Pyle Theater as the abacus, centuries old, dealt defeat to the most up-to-date electric machine now being used by the United States Government...The abacus victory was decisive." |
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| The remarks of The Nippon Times were as follows: |
| "Civilization, on the threshold of the atomic age, tottered Monday afternoon as the 2,000-year-old abacus beat the electric calculating machine in adding, subtracting, dividing and a problem including all three with multiplication thrown in, according to UP. Only in multiplication alone did the machine triumph..." |
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