Ages 5+ · Abacus · Counting with beads
Tens on the next row
The big ideaThe bottom row counts ones. The row above counts tens.
How it works
The bottom row counts ones, the little beads.
The row above counts tens. One bead there is worth ten.
When ten ones fill the bottom row, they trade for one ten on the row above.
Example 1: Sixteen
- Slide one bead across on the tens row. That is one ten.
- Slide six beads across on the ones row.
- One ten and six ones make sixteen.
One ten and six ones.Example 2: Thirty
- Slide three beads across on the tens row.
- Leave the bottom row empty: there are no loose ones.
- Three tens and no ones make thirty.
Three tens and no ones.Example 3: Ten ones become a ten
- Slide ten ones across, so the bottom row is full.
- Trade them: the ten ones go away and one bead slides across on the row above.
- Ten ones make one ten.
One bead on the tens row stands for ten ones.Words to know
- ones
- The little beads, counted on the bottom row.
- tens
- The big beads, counted on the row above.
- trade
- Ten ones become one ten.
- bag of ten
- Ten beads tied together, worth one big bead.
Watch out
- Tens go on the row above. Ones go on the bottom row.
- Read the tens row first, then the ones row.
- A full bottom row is traded for one bead on the row above.
Try it
- What does the bottom row count?
- What does the row above count?
- Sixteen is how many tens and how many ones?
- Three bags of ten make how many beads?
Answers: 1. ones · 2. tens · 3. one ten and six ones · 4. thirty
Try at homeAsk a grown-up to help you make a group of ten, like ten spoons or ten blocks. Add a few more, then say how many tens and how many ones.
For grown-upsPut ten counters in a cup. Count each full cup as a ten and the loose counters as ones, then say how many tens and ones.