Addition
Rod calculus itself works on the principle of addition. Unlike Arabic Numerals, counting rods itself have additive properties. The process of addition involves mechanically moving the rods without the need of memorising an addition table. This is the biggest difference with Arabic Numerals, as one cannot mechanically put 1 and 2 together to form 3, or 2 and 3 together to form 5.
The image to the right presents the steps in adding 3748 to 289:
- Place the augend 3748 in the first row, and the addend 289 in the second.
- Calculate from LEFT to RIGHT, from the 2 of 289 first.
- Take away two rod from the bottom add to 7 on top to make 9.
- Move 2 rods from top to bottom 8, carry one to forward to 9, which becomes zero and carries to 3 to make 4, remove 8 from bottom row.
- Move one rod from 8 on top row to 9 on bottom to form a carry one to next rank and add one rod to 2 rods on top row to make 3 rods, top row left 7.
- Result 3748+289=4037
The rods in the augend change throughout the addition, while the rods in the addend at the bottom "disappear".
Read more about this topic: Rod Calculus
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