Name___________________________

Chinese Rod Numerals

Chinese Rod Numerals were used around the 4th century BC on counting boards. Rod
from the bottom group (from left to right) were used for the units, hundreds, ten
thousands, and so on. The top group of numbers would be used for the tens,
thousands, one hundred thousands, and so on. This number system doesn’t include the
number zero, so if a modern day zero is needed that place value is simply left blank
(Robertson, 2004).

For example:
The number 362 is represented by,

And the number 460 is represented by,

Exercises:

1. Write the number 1,458 in Chinese Rod Numerals.

2. Write the number 200 in Chinese Rod Numerals.

3. Write the number 2 in Chinese Rod Numerals.

4. What do you notice about the numbers 200 and 2 written in Chinese Rod
Numerals? Explain how this affects the level of difficulty of math involving
Chinese Rod Numerals.
Addition with the Chinese Rod Numerals is done by combining the rods of each place
value and making them into new symbols. For example, consider 6 + 7.

The horizontal line on each numeral represents the number 5 and the vertical lines
represent the units that are added to 5. There are two horizontal lines and three vertical
lines in our equation. The two horizontal lines represent 5 + 5 when combined leaving
us with ten, or one horizontal line in the tens place of our answer, we are then left with
three vertical lines or units. These will be represented by three vertical lines in the units
place. Therefore,

Also consider 15 + 23.

Exercises:
1. Add 4 + 9 using Chinese Rod Numerals.

2. Add 45 + 27 in Chinese Rod Numerals.

Chinese Rod Numerals were also used for subtraction, multiplication, division, and
finding square roots. They were also used to do computations with positive and
negative numbers, we only used positive numbers today, but negative numbers were
represented by red sticks and positive numbers by black sticks. The Chinese Rod
Numerals system is complex and difficult to use as the numbers you are working with
grow larger. This caused mathematicians to mainly compute the math using this system
and recording it for merchants and the like to reference (Swetz, 1989).

Reflection:
1. How did you enjoy computing addition problems with the Chinese Rod
Numerals?

2. In this system, do you think zero was being used as a placeholder or a number?
Explain the difference between zero being used as a placeholder and a number.

3. How do you think not having the number zero in this number system affects how
math is done with it?