1,234 on an abacus

Reading the abacus from the highest place value to the units column, 1234 appears as follows: the millions column has no beads moved to the beam; the hundred-thousands column remains empty on this column; the ten-thousands column is clear with no active beads; the thousands column shows 1 with the upper bead inactive and 1 lower bead pushed up; the hundreds column shows 2 with the upper bead inactive and 2 lower beads pushed up; the tens column shows 3 with the upper bead inactive and 3 lower beads pushed up; the ones column shows 4 with the upper bead inactive and 4 lower beads pushed up.

1. Step 1. First clear the frame so no rod is counting: top beads off the beam and lower beads fully lowered.
2. Step 2. On the millions column, show 0. In practice, the millions column has no beads moved to the beam.
3. Step 3. Set the hundred-thousands column for 0. Here, the hundred-thousands column remains empty on this column.
4. Step 4. Adjust the ten-thousands column to 0. the ten-thousands column is clear with no active beads.
5. Step 5. Adjust the thousands column to 1. the thousands column shows 1 with the upper bead inactive and 1 lower bead pushed up.
6. Step 6. Adjust the hundreds column to 2. the hundreds column shows 2 with the upper bead inactive and 2 lower beads pushed up.
7. Step 7. Adjust the tens column to 3. the tens column shows 3 with the upper bead inactive and 3 lower beads pushed up.
8. Step 8. Adjust the ones column to 4. the ones column shows 4 with the upper bead inactive and 4 lower beads pushed up.
9. Step 9. Check each place value in order to verify that the abacus now shows 1234.