Book excerpt: This book combines the teaching of the MATLAB programming language with the presentation and development of carefully selected electrical and computer engineering (ECE) fundamentals. This is what distinguishes it from other books concerned with MATLAB: it is directed specifically to ECE concerns. Students will see, quite explicitly, how and why MATLAB is well suited to solve practical ECE problems. This book is intended primarily for the freshman or sophomore ECE major who has no programming experience, no background in EE or CE, and is required to learn MATLAB programming. It can be used for a course about MATLAB or an introduction to electrical and computer engineering, where learning MATLAB programming is strongly emphasized. A first course in calculus, usually taken concurrently, is essential. The distinguishing feature of this book is that about 15% of this MATLAB book develops ECE fundamentals gradually, from very basic principles. Because these fundamentals are interwoven throughout, MATLAB can be applied to solve relevant, practical problems. The plentiful, in-depth example problems to which MATLAB is applied were carefully chosen so that results obtained with MATLAB also provide insights about the fundamentals. With this "feedback approach" to learning MATLAB, ECE students also gain a head start in learning some core subjects in the EE and CE curricula. There are nearly 200 examples and over 80 programs that demonstrate how solutions of practical problems can be obtained with MATLAB. After using this book, the ECE student will be well prepared to apply MATLAB in all coursework that is commonly included in EE and CE curricula.