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Abacus Guides: How It Works, Step by Step

Everything a parent needs to understand what their child is learning — reading the beads, the two formulas that power all abacus arithmetic, and the mental-math skill it all leads to. Every guide has a live abacus you can tap.

Guide 1

What Is an Abacus and How Do You Read It?

The abacus explained for parents and kids: frame, rods, beam, heaven and earth beads, how each rod is a place value, and how to read any number at a glance. With a live abacus to try.

6 min readRead
Guide 2

Small Friend Formulas: Adding and Subtracting with 5

The 5-complement rule every abacus learner needs: why 4 + 3 becomes +5 −2, the four Small Friend pairs, and worked examples for addition and subtraction on a live abacus.

7 min readRead
Guide 3

Big Friend Formulas: Carrying with 10

How the abacus carries and borrows with the 10-complement: the five Big Friend pairs, +8 = +10 −2, worked examples like 8 + 5 and 12 − 7, and the Family formulas that combine both friends.

8 min readRead
Guide 4

What Is Anzan? Mental Math with an Imaginary Abacus

Anzan is how abacus-trained children add long columns of numbers in their head. What it is, why visualising beads works, the step-by-step progression from abacus to flash anzan, and how to practise it at home.

6 min readRead

Keep exploring

Learning PathThe four levels that teach everything in these guides, in order.Video lessonsShort episodes from the first bead to two-rod subtraction — watch, then practise.For ParentsClasses vs app, a 10-minute routine, and what's free.

Start free today

Level 1 is completely free — no card, no trial clock. Download Abacus Kids and let your child move their first bead in minutes.

Get it on Google PlayDownload on the App Store