This paper deals with a useful mathematical tool called ‘mensa pythagorica’ or ‘abacus’. Mathematicians of the Latin Christian West used this tool most extensively from the end of 10th century to the 12th century. This article analyzes two descriptions of this tool in two texts written around the year 1000 and also presents eight images of the abacus from the manuscripts of this epoch – i.e. from the end of the 10th century to the beginning of 12th century.
abacus; mathematics; calculations in the Early Christian Latin World
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