It is only in the movement of the bead
that gives it a numeric value. The inner beads on the abacus
must move downwards in order to have a value of 5. The outer
beads must move upwards to have a value of 1. A bead that does
not move has no value.
The direction that each stonecutter is
facing is a clue to the correct arrangement of beads.
Notice the small bumps at the center of
the abacus board in front of each statue.
In your mind, place each stonecutter
statue in the center of the abacus board and draw an imaginary
line in the direction it faces. Extend that imaginary line to
the bumps in front of the statue. You should arrange the beads
for each statue to match the number of those bumps (for example,
if the statue, in your mind's eye, placed in the center of the
board faces 3 bumps, then you should arrange the beads for that
statue to equal 3).
