This book is intended for anyone trying to learn the fundamentals of computer programming.

The chapters lead the reader through the various steps required for writing a program, introducing

the MATLABr constructs in the process. MATLABr is used to teach programming

because it has a simple programming environment. It has a low initial overhead which allows

the novice programmer to begin programming immediately and allows the users to easily debug

their programs. This is especially useful for people who have a “mental block” about computers.

Although MATLABr is a high-level language and interactive environment that enables

the user to perform computationally intensive tasks faster than with traditional programming

languages such as C, C++, and Fortran, the author shows that it can also be used as a programming

learning tool for novices. There are a number of exercises at the end of each chapter

which should help the users become comfortable with the language.