THE JAPANESE ABACUS,

ITS USE AND THEORY

BY TAKASHI KOJIMA

Exercises
Constant daily practice is essential if one is to become proficient in the use
of the abacus. The following exercises, prepared and arranged in accordance
with the most up-to-date methods, have been kindly furnished by Professor
Miyokichi Ban, an outstanding abacus authority. They will provide a good
beginning for the serious student, who can then find more problems in any
ordinary arithmetic book. Also note that problems in multiplication and division
may be used as problems in addition and subtraction respectively.
The exercises are arranged so that a student can measure his progress
against the yardstick of the Japanese licensing system, the required standard of
proficiency for the particular grade being given at the beginning of each group.
The possessor of a first, second or third grade license, as awarded by the Abacus
Committee, is officially qualified for employment in a public corporation or
business house. Licenses for the lower grades are given on the basis of unofficial
examinations conducted by numerous private abacus schools.
The exercises are also chosen to give the maximum of variety to the
problems, with each digit from zero to nine receiving equal attention -an
essential requirement for improvement in abacus operation. The system
followed is that just initiated by the Central Abacus Committee after long and
careful research.

I -Sixth Grade Operator

Group A
(1 set per minute, or entire group with 70% accuracy in 10 minutes.)

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

528
160
427
951
719
452
106
843
385
690
724
381
203
579
634
7 782

967
239
650
108
243
758
491
536
702
871
460
629
984
315
870
8 823

482
251
147
598
120
643
839
304
987
439
-671
305
526
760
215
1 319

106
543
928
710
954
329
267
695
514
870
308
796
632
807
481
8 940

815
302
491
852
169
401
958
576
740
183
235
673
340
927
264
3 054

360
829
213
308
497
932
589
690
147
674
850
201
765
148
756
7 959

769
420
195
513
854
508
274
421
963
307
631
175
286
840
392
2 588

241
952
309
756
487
360
617
508
873
420
196
689
204
795
138
7 545

654
516
740
495
536
785
320
197
201
873
124
482
968
319
203
1 909

185
730
698
246
809
953
721
370
617
164
902
596
480
342
875
8 688

Group B
(1 set per minute or entire group with 70% accuracy in 10 minutes.)
(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

728
631
4 089
50
92
175
47
904
72
593
61
86
8 260
354
13
16 155

36
87
52
705
68
96
349
2 138
510
74
421
907
53
619
8 042
14 157

627
75
238
94
426
81
7 513
59
60
3 041
-52
139
807
40
968
6 832

52
718
60
42
8 096
621
97
481
305
574
85
19
73
9 038
264
20 525

271
6 104
42
35
487
93
312
78
5 083
20
961
854
69
705
96
1 632

13
624
51
379
785
41
2 095
36
984
63
542
807
1 068
70
92
7 650

806
54
716
81
439
5 021
48
27
78
3 605
953
130
69
92
247
1 500

4 105
78
29
712
67
834
203
40
526
81
9 036
17
395
58
649
16 830

936
21
6 084
18
745
50
62
329
1 203
459
48
76
597
30
817
6 525

3 094
65
413
817
23
71
938
26
7 041
86
259
95
508
672
40
14 148

Group C
(70% accuracy, 5 minutes.)

Group D
(70% accuracy, 5 minutes.)

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)

187 x 53 = 9 911
245 x 21 = 5 145
309 x 19 = 5 871
408 x 38 = 15 504
561 x 60 = 33 660
620 x 42 = 26 040
716 x 90 = 64 440
832 x 57 = 47 424
954 x 74 = 70 596
973 x 86 = 83 678

1 725 x 51 = 87 975
2 698 x 24 = 64 752
3 980 x 30 = 119 400
4 509 x 65 = 293 085
5 062 x 73 = 369 526
6 874 x 68 = 467 432
7 431 x 80 = 594 480
8 146 x 12 = 97 752
9 357 x 49 = 458 493
8 230 x 97 = 798 310

Group E
(70% accuracy, 5 minutes.)

Group F
(70% accuracy, 5 minutes.)

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)

960 / 24 = 40
810 / 45 = 18
7 505 / 79 = 95
6 640 / 80 = 83
5 920 / 16 = 370
4 080 / 68 = 60
3 127 / 53 = 59
2 160 / 30 = 72
1 152 / 72 = 16
2 184 / 91 = 24

986 / 34 = 29
855 / 19 = 45
7 280 / 80 = 91
6 240 / 78 = 80
5 092 / 67 = 76
4 128 / 96 = 43
390 / 13 = 30
2 320 / 40 = 58
1 550 / 25 = 62
884 / 52 = 17

II -Fifth Grade Operator

Group A
(70% accuracy, 10 minutes.)
(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

425
839
5 302
791
514
1 283
960
2 048
683
4 067
794
3 176
952
805
671
23 310

619
153
762
8 523
478
694
7 081
377
1 049
812
9 235
504
6 380
426
905
7 724

502
698
2 013
147
9 684
5 726
409
971
3 056
843
329
760
4 215
837
158
30 348

7 245
461
956
179
317
420
8 096
543
835
2 684
708
1 032
319
908
6 527
12 966

167
9 035
716
3 540
295
138
869
327
5 609
952
4 786
128
8 073
409
241
35 285

895
7 043
509
2 918
451
734
1 086
427
308
872
164
6 217
9 620
563
35
31 842

3 471
584
628
309
5 672
491
236
7 018
4 763
517
902
8 059
126
340
895
16 781

912
463
9 324
647
1 509
854
6 082
165
978
240
2 086
731
3 108
597
375
28 071

237
4 093
308
7 410
984
2 536
841
965
8 074
129
715
5 268
607
259
136
12 090

498
6 309
146
285
5 037
708
3 572
219
867
421
1 653
820
9 046
714
935
31 230

Group B
(70% accuracy, 10 minutes.)
(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

3 128
940
8 437
1 056
9 582
865
5 297
7 809
254
2 375
718
6 042
163
4 301
649
52 616

504
6 142
879
5 263
198
7 920
691
4 702
9 087
6 815
3 960
1 536
8 473
348
2 057
26 939

196
2 501
385
6 210
1 479
8 937
7 068
927
4 253
5 406
8 045
712
9 634
843
3 521
60 117

837
7 590
2 601
9 082
649
3 078
429
8 563
930
358
1 876
6 145
7 201
5 914
726
34 909

6 059
3 240
918
136
2 847
9 325
1 706
695
8 014
4 587
273
7 208
462
3 159
5 341
53 970

463
8 594
3 027
7 380
2 759
902
6 178
4 813
632
9 264
850
1 096
5 709
641
175
25 701

958
149
4 807
758
3 146
6 291
530
2 085
5 239
7 621
1 375
8 407
4 362
9 024
613
55 365

7 342
3 180
453
9 508
4 261
937
8 679
518
6 024
2 187
9 840
5 706
695
1 039
726
61 095

217
1 048
9 731
5 109
8 925
2 346
697
7 163
3 508
4 386
6 029
275
5 314
430
852
26708

592
403
1 780
6 814
509
7 921
2 078
8 637
981
3 146
4 065
8 254
672
5 890
9 763
61 505

Group C
(70% accuracy, 10 minutes.)
(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

359
7 569
408
163
914
792
5 021
8 630
325
206
127
4 381
948
6 057
874
36 774

9 535
174
812
3 720
647
1 093
356
2 680
906
185
263
8 472
598
704
419
8 418

604
2 895
731
1 048
269
817
4 580
932
126
658
9 053
316
470
3 749
527
26 775

413
390
706
6 054
318
8 249
634
267
9835
142
5 061
975
7 529
807
182
3 418

2 190
647
574
1 697
481
156
3 078
423
310
962
835
5 289
206
4 058
739
21 645

4 157
823
496
273
5 082
761
845
3 978
109
634
2 014
361
580
6 792
905
3 202

516
7 082
395
279
153
6 042
821
3 150
264
4 987
730
674
968
401
5 893
32 355

8 594
250
913
341
7 082
361
2 473
749
605
128
9 086
597
1 632
805
467
13 169

740
6 294
103
857
5 019
431
520
648
3 976
837
2 719
301
4 658
285
961
28 349

1 507
960
8 023
649
752
836
6 395
548
125
409
287
9 168
314
7 431
270
37 674

Group D
(70% accuracy 5 minutes.)

Group E
(70% accuracy 5 minutes.)

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)

942 x 495 = 466 290

839 x 457 = 383 423
723 x 980 = 708 540
680 x 134 = 91 120
508 x 268 = 136 144
417 x 873 = 364 041
396 x 629 = 249 084
204 x 316 = 64 464
165 x 501 = 82 665
751 x 702 = 527 202

848 x 276 = 234 048

854 x 965 = 824 110
902 x 804 = 725 208
627 x 108 = 67 716
105 x 519 = 54 495
570 x 843 = 480 510
489 x 751 = 367 239
613 x 397 = 243 361
236 x 632 = 149 152
791 x 420 = 332 220

Group F
(70% accuracy 5 minutes.)

Group G
(70% accuracy 5 minutes.)

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)

9 724 /26 = 374

8 151 /13 = 627
7 739 /71 = 109
62 560 /80 = 782
5 556 /12 = 463
49 572 /54 = 918
30 150 /67 = 450
23 128 /98 = 236
17 535 /35 = 501
43 855 /49 = 895

63 207 / 90 = 7 02.3
533 484 / 87 = 6 132
420 616 / 74 = 5 684
113 148 / 63 = 1 796
278 772 / 52 = 5 361
85 075 / 41 = 2 075
366 873 / 39 = 9 407
98 504 / 28 = 3 518
72 885 / 15 = 4 859
214240 / 26 = 8 240

III -Fourth Grade Operator

Group A (70% accuracy, 10 minutes.)
(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

6 374
5 021
7 913
9 265
4 537
5 084
8 762
7 190
3 856
4 280
8 152
2 409
6 371
1 948
9 603
90 675

4 561
9 753
3 670
1 256
5 904
8 329
2 048
6 827
7 895
3 047
2 739
6 180
5 912
4 106
1 438
31 983

3 458
2 983
4 120
6 309
5 092
2 148
5 871
1 397
7 539
2 710
6 087
8 264
4 675
9 561
3 406
73 620

9 526
4 198
8 973
7 269
9 085
6 450
8 317
3 802
1 236
7 084
6 735
4 391
5 140
2 604
5 172
33 782

1 459
3 146
4 723
2 368
6 912
5 279
2 905
7 816
3 047
8 102
5 680
9 834
5 091
6 470
7 538
80 370

7 201
6 759
1 093
2 346
8 712
6 507
3 874
4 158
8 527
4 096
3 648
5 930
2 489
1 360
9 125
75 825

2 951
9 160
3 294
8 643
4 712
1 035
5 368
7 214
6 870
5 907
7 582
4 326
8 059
9 781
6 403
45 259

5 482
8 035
4 973
5 106
3 683
1 290
9 624
2 067
6 541
3 712
6 154
7 298
4 870
7 951
8 309
85 095

8 954
4 710
3 986
5 603
9 215
5 087
1 693
6 854
2 401
6 049
8 731
3 278
7 142
9 320
7 562
54 469

6 753
1 832
8 094
2 869
7 150
3 908
9 201
4 127
9 382
5 240
8 476
6 395
7 564
5 013
4 671
90 675

Group B
(70% accuracy, 10 minutes.)
(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

2 453
5 192
67 941
36 029
1 683
4 808
8 574
3 129
48 531
4 067
73 215
2 750
10 896
7 208
9 645
286 121

5 906
98 710
4 825
5 174
9 631
3 712
20 893
8 074
2 689
60 243
87 069
1 574
6 458
53 961
2 307
371 226

3 629
41 568
9 205
80 453
2 687
31 405
8 716
4 932
17 043
5 890
9 134
4 716
76 352
2 879
5 021
171 312

8 431
7 846
20 753
4 501
59 327
7 698
3 086
64 279
1 058
6 912
2 769
90 635
5 804
8 140
1 972
293 211

9 504
1 029
85 934
2 318
7 840
43 126
2 735
3 052
9 607
17 269
8 573
54 618
6 481
70 396
4 125
97 007

6 712
8 950
4 167
60 843
6 679
1 703
29 078
8 634
39 581
7 824
2 307
40 592
91 486
6 251
8 095
322 902

72 934
1 653
3 817
9 051
1 329
53 682
8 306
2 148
80 597
5 431
14 970
7 026
25 469
4 205
6 748
104 104

1 846
30 782
4 935
8 071
6 329
95 874
3 105
5 763
78 491
40 982
2 417
7 650
63 208
9 016
2 569
361 038

4 165
1 594
3 872
51 943
92 381
6 705
4 372
87 156
9 034
13 507
5 420
7 263
20 489
8 016
2 698
65 139

8 679
15 032
6 985
2 803
41 697
9 306
5 821
4 068
37 459
2 516
70 128
8 749
3 290
9 347
60 175
286 055

Group C
(70% accuracy, 10 minutes.)
(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

2 701
342
60 179
9 630
71 524
8 495
50 723
268
956
814
5 209
43 167
1 083
548
86 937
342 576

58 976
4 109
249
80 651
1 590
468
5 107
67 328
782
8 245
92 361
873
70 934
3 012
654
242 201

378
917
4 586
1 469
70 854
3 042
793
2 138
96 205
7 621
5 839
19 057
415
80 246
8 120
361 180

683
50 746
1 597
265
619
7 301
25 478
9 032
359
40 168
8 274
63 921
34 580
904
2 817
145 418

8 472
601
7 340
45 981
790
13 267
6 154
24 896
974
32 058
613
50 789
9 523
862
1 035
203 355

4 583
13 659
732
403
29 581
690
32 071
947
8 765
1 296
95 820
7 415
178
80 264
6 304
282 708

75 219
327
139
6 875
906
50 864
8 542
41 038
751
60 213
2 496
9 547
37 081
320
4 693
156 529

839
523
19 768
5 017
240
6 754
30 482
1 937
684
93 521
8 075
42 816
7 109
24 365
690
242 820

13 597
763
27 458
89 162
430
2 049
98 625
506
4 317
5 231
70 318
2 679
985
6 140
804
108 840

9 218
40 137
572
1 065
56 387
941
259
7 308
32 596
483
60 725
864
24 139
8 074
1 690
244 458

Group D
(70% accuracy 5 minutes.)

Group E
(70% accuracy 5 minutes.)

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)

92 854 x 84 = 7 799
8 240 x 568 = 4 680
73 041 x 90 = 6 573
60 378 x 16 = 966 048
51 762 x 27 = 1 397
47 609 x 70 = 3 332 630
30 427 x 32 = 973 664
29 185 x 63 = 1 838
18 596 x 45 = 836 820
54 930 x 81 = 4 449

1 375 x 562 = 772 750

2 610 x 148 = 386 280
3 784 x 625 = 2 365 000
4 208 x 201 = 845 808
5 429 x 874 = 4 744 946
6 057 x 903 = 5 469 471
7 906 x 417 = 3 296 802
8 591 x 730 = 6 271 430
9 832 x 986 = 9 694 352
4 163 x 359 = 1 494 517

Group F
(70% accuracy 5 minutes.)

Group G
(70% accuracy 5 minutes.)

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)

9 108 x 379 = 3 451 932

8 240 x 568 = 4 680 320
7 894 x 740 = 5 841 560
6 372 x 953 = 6 072 516
5 423 x 182 = 986 986
4 617 x 194 = 895 698
3 581 x 807 = 2 889 867
2 056 x 625 = 1 285 000
1 905 x 401 = 763 905
3 769 x 236 = 889 484

2 647 x 3 740 = 9 899 780

3 068 x 2 698 = 8 277 464
9 854 x 7 219 = 71 136 026
1 370 x 4 805 = 6 582 8508
8 401 x 6 457 = 54 245 257
4 936 x 9 523 = 47 005 528
6 125 x 5 184 = 31 752 000
2 519 x 8 306 = 20 922 814
7 093 x 1 962 = 13 916 466
5 782 x 3 071 = 17 756 522

Group H
(70% accuracy 5 minutes.)

Group I
(70% accuracy 5 minutes.)

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)

379 428 / 42 = 9 034

706 860 / 85 = 8 316
235 662 / 31 = 7 602
658 145 / 97 = 6 785
406 164 / 68 = 5 973
87 362 / 19 = 4 598
115 710 / 30 = 3 857
55 637 / 23 = 2 419
94 240 / 76 = 1 240
325 134 / 54 = 6 021

94 235 / 401 = 235

87 040 / 256 = 340
752 128 / 832 = 904
64 220 / 380 = 169
548 784 / 927 = 592
431 748 / 603 = 716
385 746 / 478 = 807
219 537 / 519 = 423
107 912 / 164 = 658
620 895 / 795 = 781

Group J
(70% accuracy 5 minutes.)

Group K
(70% accuracy 5 minutes.)

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(9)
(9)
(10)

636 768 / 792 = 804

35 984 / 208 = 173
194 394 / 537 = 362
403 425 / 815 = 495
86 163 / 373 = 231
531 340 / 620 = 857
932 832 / 984 = 948
286 090 / 469 = 610
363 726 / 501 = 726
74 314 / 146 = 509

553 149 / 6 829 = 81

273 375 / 3 645 = 75
97 351 / 1 453 = 67
761 664 / 7 934 = 96
81 018 / 4 501 = 18
84 942 / 2 178 = 39
424 901 / 8 017 = 53
120 048 / 5 002 = 24
611 640 / 6 796 = 90
394 044 / 9 382 = 42

IV - Third Grade Operators

Group A
(70% accuracy, 5 minutes.)
(1)
8 127
659
17 492
961 037
5 208
638 125
80 734
9 270
25 816
401 369
756
36 594
520 943
481
74 308
2 780919

(2)
526
4 192
60 271
358 604
963
71 850
5 397
409 715
842
17 438
732 609
90 386
6 127
28 459
813 045
943 910

(6)

(7)

(3)
(4)
105 942
41 306
835
7 962
94 516
95 641
62 481
529
83 672
890 375
1 450
6 813
238 107 380 276
396
784
740 138
978 250
253
3 795
57 048
12 047
6 729
604 518
78 915
421
406 329
53 608
9 067
29 134
1 885 878 2 164 955 2
(8)

(9)

(5)
28 640
135
86 029
401 286
514
37 269
2 478
903 851
18 394
549 076
3 702
153
695 718
4 367
70 925
802 537
(10)

350 624
79 328
60 382
952
14 538
93 041
8 653
847
38 207
751
68 729
184 705
2 415
706 394
26 374
134
31 894
531
2 460
652 096
791 560
936
891 270
875
8 725
45 287
507 269
63 092
410 936
479 163
421
726
9 283
680
2 759
59 641
60 584 308 619
65 148
13 849
245 139
15 974
931 054
804 975
6 358
372
704 368
729
5 812
804 293
15 807
4 715
3 051
54 071
30 427
983
693 807
57 249
13 567
209
7 410
16 042
425 698
6 182
90 412
362
2 610
9 703
207 648
587 936
201 876
80 597
56 184
89 513
3 160
658 222 1 917 072 1 828 871 2 537 019 2 719 107

Group B
(70% accuracy 10 minutes. Calculate problems 1-10
to the nearest thousandth; 11-20 to the nearest dollar.)
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)

4 097 x 238 = 975 086

5 638 x 149 = 840 062
14 902 x 52 = 774 904
7 105 x 0.098 = 696.29
9 674 x 603 = 5 833 422
63.25 x 7.64 = 483.23
853 x 4.017 = 3 426.501
0.3081 x 0.926 = 0.285
2 984 x 351 = 1 047 384
0.2176 x 87.5 = 19.04

(11)
(12)
(13)
(14)
(15)
(16)
(17)
(18)
(19)
(20)

$ 2 594 x 376 = $ 975 344

$ 4 608 x 0.189 = $ 871
$ 7 832 x 897 = $ 7 025 304
$ 94 120 x 6.4 = $ 602 368
$ 8 029 x 738 = $ 5 925 402
$ 975 x45.12 = $ 43 992
$ 5 176 x 0.625 = $ 3 235
$ 3 061 x 903 = $ 2 764 083
$ 6 843 x 201 = $ 1 375 443
$ 6 549 x 643 = $ 4 211 007

Group C
(70% accuracy 10 minutes. Calculate problems 110
to the nearest thousandth; 1120 to the nearest dollar.)
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)

937 015 / 965 = 971

0.08988 / 6.42 = 0.014
0.070654 / 0.136 = 0.520
63 366/ 708 = 89.5
55.426 / 214 = 0.259
415 473 / 591 = 703
315.333 / 45.9 = 6.87
280 932 / 82 = 3 426
17.316 / 0.037 = 468
241 893 / 7 803 = 31

(11)
(12)
(13)
(14)
(15)
(16)
(17)
(18)
(19)
(20)

$ 99 /0.368 = $ 269
$ 83 619 / 27 = $ 3 097
$ 71 967 / 149 = $ 483
$ 649 612 /7 061 = $ 92
$ 560/ 0.875 = $ 640
$ 415 693 /593 = $ 701
$ 33 154 / 60.5 = $ 548
$ 2 485 / 2.84 = $ 875
$ 122563 /901 = $ 136
$ 54 /0.432 = $ 125