Now you will practise reading numbers from bead patterns. Look carefully at the ones rod and think before you answer.
On the ones rod, what value does each lower earth bead have when it is moved to the beam?
a value of ten
a value of two
a value of one
a value of five
Each lower bead on a student abacus is worth one in its column. Moving one earth bead to the beam adds one to the total.
On the ones rod, what value does the upper heaven bead have when it is moved to the beam?
a value of five
a value of ten
a value of two
a value of one
The single upper bead on each rod is worth five in that place. When you slide it to the beam you add five at once.
If you move one lower bead on the ones rod up to the beam, which number do you show?
5
2
1
0
One lower bead touching the beam on the ones rod stands for the number 1. It shows that you have added one unit.
If you move two lower beads on the ones rod to the beam, which number appears?
2
1
3
4
Two earth beads at the beam on the ones rod stand for the number 2. Each bead is worth one so together they make two.
If you move three lower beads on the ones rod to the beam, which number appears?
3
5
4
2
Three lower beads at the beam on the ones rod show the number 3. You can think of it as one plus one plus one.
If you move four lower beads on the ones rod to the beam, which number appears?
5
6
3
4
Four earth beads at the beam on the ones rod stand for the number 4. This is the biggest number you can show using only lower beads.
On the ones rod, you move the upper bead down to the beam and no lower beads up. Which number do you show?
4
5
10
6
The heaven bead on the ones rod is worth five all by itself. When it touches the beam it shows the number 5.
On the ones rod, the upper bead is down at the beam and one lower bead is up. Which number is shown?
5
6
8
7
The upper bead is worth five and one lower bead is worth one. Together they make the number 6.
On the ones rod, the upper bead is down at the beam and two lower beads are up. Which number is shown?
6
9
8
7
Five from the upper bead plus two from the lower beads gives seven. The bead pattern helps children see the total without counting from one.
On the ones rod, the upper bead is down and four lower beads are up. Which number is shown?
8
9
10
15
Five from the heaven bead plus four from the earth beads makes nine. This is the largest one digit number you can show on a single rod.
Starter
You are starting to link bead patterns to numbers. Practise reading numbers from 1 to 9 on a single rod until it feels easy.
Solid
You read many bead patterns correctly. With a little more practice you will recognise numbers at a glance.
Expert!
You read bead numbers like a pro. Your strong number sense will help you move into bigger sums on the abacus.
