The skills needed to perform computations on the abacus are hierarchical in nature. After number recognition is achieved, the operations of addition, subtraction, and multiplication can proceed through various levels of difficulty.
Division is attempted only after the other operations have been mastered.
The abacus is used as an important manipulative to introduce and reinforce various mathematical concepts that occur in the classroom at various levels of instruction. To date, abacus instruction is used in grades 3-5 at Hellgate. Each spring an annual abacus tournament is held at Hellgate Elementary. Students from various schools attend and compete for awards. A training session for teachers is also held at Hellgate Elementary during the summer.