Early Hindu addition was perhaps done from left to right, instead of from right to left as we prefer to do it today. As an example consider the addition of 345 and 488. These would probably be written, one under the other, a little below the top of the computing tablet, as shown in the accompanying illustration. The computer would say 3+4 = 7, and write the 7 at the head of the left column. Next, 4+8=12, which changes the 7 to an 8 followed by a 2.