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a tool with marked rods or sticks used in ancient math, especially in Chinese and Japanese traditions
What is a "counting rod"?
A counting rod is an ancient tool used for counting and performing arithmetic calculations. Made from materials like bamboo, ivory, or wood, these rods were typically marked with numerical values and used by ancient civilizations such as the Chinese, Greeks, and Romans. Counting rods were often arranged in patterns or placed in rows to represent numbers. By manipulating the rods, users could perform basic operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. The use of counting rods played an important role in early mathematical practices and paved the way for later developments in calculation tools.
