Decimal Addition Example Chinese Abacus

Let's try an addition problem with decimals.

$1.75 + $3.32 =

$1.75 + $3.32 =
Step 1

Record $1.75 on the abacus.
Now start adding the $3.32 from the hundredths place value first.

$1.75 + $3.32 =
Step 2

Add two hundredths by moving two 1 point beads up.

$1.75 + $3.32 =
Step 3

Now move to the hundredths place value bar and add three hundredths by pushing up the remaining three 1 point beads.

NOTE: this moves ALL the hundredth beads to the record bar. This gives us ten hundredths which equals one. So we fix the representation as below.

$1.75 + $3.32 =
Step 4

Just push up another 1 point bead on the one's place value bar and then move the other beads on the tenth's value bar back.

$1.75 + $3.32 =
Step 5

Finally, add the three ones to give your answer of $5.07.