The Indian Abacus (Manual) is a Tool for calculation.

The Indian Abacus (Manual) is a Tool for calculation. The nimble fingers of a young child can manipulate the sliders for calculation. It is semi abstract and pictorial with colour display. Numbers are represented by the slider positions displaying colour. This tool contains 17 vertical slots. Each slot contains 5 sliders. The bar within the frame runs horizontally and divides each slot into 2 parts. The sliders below the bar on each slot are called lower sliders. The slider above the bar on each slot is called upper slider. There are 4 lower sliders and 1 upper slider in each slot.

The value of each lower slider value position is 1 and upper slider value position is 5. Thus the total value on each slot could be a maximum of 9. Each slider gets value only when it touches the bar. To add a number, we move the slider towards the bar and to subtract, we move it away from the bar. In the abacus calculation, the operation is always left to right, and digit by digit for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.