Multi-Functional Abacus DevelopedA bank clerk in northwest China's Shaanxi Province has developed a multi-functional abacus which can be used as a calculator, toy and to play chess.Experts described it as a universal abacus because it is formed with five beads used in Japan, seven beads in China and 10 beads in Russia. The abacus has obtained a state patent recently. It takes 10 lessons for a school-age children to master the skill of making addition and subtraction within 10,000. Cheng Wenmao, developer of the abacus, has been invited to the United States, Japan and Thailand for academic exchanges. Li Peiye, a professor with the China Abacus History Research Society, regards it as an important invention which makes the Chinese abacus known to more people in the world. |
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