Saudi Gazette An addition problem with big, daunting numbers is called out and the students find the correct answer in seconds, without using a calculator. The students rapidly move their fingers on the tool called abacus that originated in China. It is amazing to watch them instantly calculate answers to long mathematical problems. As the students advance, the abacus is taken away and they calculate the answers mentally. Teaching mental arithmetic to children greatly improves their mental power, performance at school and their brain-hand coordination. A global competition in Universal Concept of Mental Arithmetic System (UCMAS) was held in the capital of Malaysia last week. Ten intermediate Saudi students from Tabuk entered the competition and traveled to Malaysia to represent their country. Two students from King Abdul Aziz Model School made their country proud as they proudly ranked fifth in the world for their speed and accuracy. They were competing with 6,000 students, who had come from 50 different countries. The winners were Rayan Muhammad Al-Mes'er and Nawaf bin Khalid Al-Ghaban. Upon their arrival in Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz Airport in Tabuk, they were greeted by their happy parents, Adel Fakhri, Principal of the Intermediate School, and a representative from Tabuk Ministry of Education. The students were showered with flowers and gifts. They also received due acknowledgement from their friends and teachers for their impressive accomplishment. __
