Inca Counting and Pebble Values

This video tutorial introduces the Inca counting boards, a tool used by the Incas for computations before recording quantities with quipus. The counting board is a stone slab with compartments of different levels, where pebbles are placed to represent values. The tutorial explains how the position of pebbles in various compartments and levels determines their value, with examples using colored pebbles to represent different objects. The video concludes with a practical example of calculating totals for dogs and goats using the counting board.

What did the Incas use to record quantities of items?

• Scrolls

• Quipus

• Papyrus

• Abacus

What shape is left in the middle of the Inca counting board?

• Square

• Triangle

• Octagon

• Circle

What is the value of a pebble in a small white compartment?

• Four units

• One unit

• Three units

• Two units

How much is a pebble worth if placed in the octagonal region?

• Doubled

• Quadrupled

• Halved

• Tripled

What is the multiplier for a pebble on the second shaded level?

• Ten

• Eight

• Six

• Four

What is the value of a pebble in the highest corner level?

• Six

• Nine

• Fifteen

• Twelve

In the example, how many red pebbles are in the highest compartment?

• Four

• One

• Two

• Three

What is the total number of dogs represented by the red circles?

• 51

• 60

• 45

• 37

How many blue pebbles are in the compartments worth six each?

• Three

• Four

• Two

• One

What is the total number of goats represented by the blue squares?

• 50

• 37

• 30

• 42