555 on an abacus

On a soroban, the number 555 is built with these column positions: the millions column is set to zero; the hundred-thousands column has no beads moved to the beam; the ten-thousands column remains empty on this column; the thousands column is clear with no active beads; the hundreds column engages the upper bead while the lower deck stays clear; the tens column relies on the upper bead only, with the lower section left at zero; the ones column keeps the upper bead active with all four lower beads reset.

1. Step 1. Set the soroban to zero before you begin, keeping the upper beads separated from the beam and the lower beads at rest.
2. Step 2. Configure the millions rod for 0. That means the millions column is set to zero.
3. Step 3. On the hundred-thousands column, show 0. In practice, the hundred-thousands column has no beads moved to the beam.
4. Step 4. Set the ten-thousands column for 0. Here, the ten-thousands column remains empty on this column.
5. Step 5. Adjust the thousands column to 0. the thousands column is clear with no active beads.
6. Step 6. Adjust the hundreds column to 5. the hundreds column engages the upper bead while the lower deck stays clear.
7. Step 7. Configure the tens rod for 5. That means the tens column relies on the upper bead only, with the lower section left at zero.
8. Step 8. On the ones column, show 5. In practice, the ones column keeps the upper bead active with all four lower beads reset.
9. Step 9. Finish by scanning the rods from the highest place to the units column and confirm the result is 555.