History of Computers - The Abacus
This page created by: Max Susman
abacus- a Latin word that has its origins in the Greek words abax or abakon (meaning "table" or "tablet") which in turn, possibly originated from the Semitic word abq, meaning "sand"[1]. The abacus, also known as the counting frame, is the oldest known counting device, originated from early forms of counting boards. The abacus, still commonly used by Asian merchants and shop keepers, consists of a system of beads on wires, a significant improvement from the more primitive "stones in grooves" versions.
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Overview
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| The Abacus |
Origins
The idea of using a device to aid in counting originated in the Mesopotamian era (2700-2300 BC). Merchants would draw lines in the sand, and place stones in between the lines (representing the 1's, 10's and 100's places). The wealthier merchants could afford wooden boards with raised borders that would be filled with colored sand. The oldest surviving counting board, an early form of an abacus, dates back to 300 BC. This tablet is known as the Salamis Tablet, of the Babylonian era. The Salamis tablet is a marble tablet with five parallel lines, divided by one vertical line.[1]
Modern Abacus
In China, Japan, Russia, and Africa, the abacus is still widely used by merchants and clerks[2]. The most common use of the abacus is the simple operations of addition and subtraction, which is visually articulated by sliding beads up and down the wires. Modern abaci are also constructed better than previous primitive models. Modern abaci are often made with wire and beads held together by a bamboo frame.[3]
Significance to the History of Computers
The abacus was significant to the history of computers because it's invention shows that people were trying to develop a way of simplifying computations. Essentially the abacus is the first attempt at this idea which eventually led to the currently commonly used graphing calculator. While it may seem primitive, having a physical object represent simple mathematical procedures such as addition and subtraction was an important step towards the eventual development of the computer. All in all, the existence of this global information service has catapulted the development of mechanisms for locating and exchanging information. [4]
Links
www.artbeads.com; www.ee.ryerson.ca; en.wikipedia.org; dictionary.reference.com
