99 on an abacus

On a soroban, the number 99 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 is set to zero; the tens column marks 9 with the top bead touching the beam and 4 lower beads raised; the ones column reads 9 because the upper bead is engaged and 4 lower beads are slid up.

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. Configure the hundreds rod for 0. That means the hundreds column is set to zero.
7. Step 7. Configure the tens rod for 9. That means the tens column marks 9 with the top bead touching the beam and 4 lower beads raised.
8. Step 8. On the ones column, show 9. In practice, the ones column reads 9 because the upper bead is engaged and 4 lower beads are slid up.
9. Step 9. Finish by scanning the rods from the highest place to the units column and confirm the result is 99.