Book excerpt: Digital signal processing has progressed rapidly from a specialist research topic to one with practical applications in many disciplines, including branches of engineering and science which involve data acquisition, such as meterology, physics and information systems. This book aims to provide students with an introductory, one-term course in the subject, using a considerable number of computer programmes to illustrate the text. A number of worked examples have been included in order to illustrate and develop important ideas and design techniques. Problems designed to test and consolidate work already undertaken are supplied at the end of each chapter, and selected answers are given at the end of the book.