📖 View Step-by-Step Bead Positioning Guide (Optional)▼
To show 2008 on a soroban, read the rods from left to right: the millions column is clear with no active beads; the hundred-thousands column is set to zero; the ten-thousands column has no beads moved to the beam; the thousands column marks 2 with no upper-bead contact and 2 lower beads raised; the hundreds column is clear with no active beads; the tens column is set to zero; the ones column reads 8 because the upper bead is engaged and 3 lower beads are slid up.
- Step 1. Start from a cleared soroban with every upper bead away from the beam and every lower bead resting at the bottom.
- Step 2. Adjust the millions column to 0. the millions column is clear with no active beads.
- Step 3. Configure the hundred-thousands rod for 0. That means the hundred-thousands column is set to zero.
- Step 4. On the ten-thousands column, show 0. In practice, the ten-thousands column has no beads moved to the beam.
- Step 5. Configure the thousands rod for 2. That means the thousands column marks 2 with no upper-bead contact and 2 lower beads raised.
- Step 6. Adjust the hundreds column to 0. the hundreds column is clear with no active beads.
- Step 7. Configure the tens rod for 0. That means the tens column is set to zero.
- Step 8. On the ones column, show 8. In practice, the ones column reads 8 because the upper bead is engaged and 3 lower beads are slid up.
- Step 9. Once every column is set, the soroban should read 2008 across the full frame.