ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Odhner Arithmometer

An odhner arithmometer is a type of machine used a long time ago to help people do math more easily. It's kind of like a big calculator, but you use it with your hands.

Imagine you have a bunch of numbers you need to add together. Instead of thinking really hard and trying to remember all the numbers, you can use an odhner arithmometer to help you!

The arithmometer has a bunch of buttons and dials that you can turn to put in the numbers you want to add together. Then, you turn a special handle on the side of the machine to make it do the math for you.

It works kind of like a big puzzle. Each time you turn the handle, the machine will add or subtract the numbers you put in and give you a new answer. You can keep doing this over and over until you have the final answer you need.

Overall, an odhner arithmometer is a really cool old machine that people used to use to help them do math more easily. Although we don't really use them anymore because we have digital calculators, it's still neat to think about how people used to use them and how they helped make math less stressful!