Book excerpt: Advanced Mathematics for Engineering Students: The Essential Toolbox provides a concise treatment for applied mathematics. Derived from two semester advanced mathematics courses at the author's university, the book delivers the mathematical foundation needed in an engineering program of study. Other treatments typically provide a thorough but somewhat complicated presentation where students do not appreciate the application. This book focuses on the development of tools to solve most types of mathematical problems that arise in engineering – a "toolbox for the engineer. It provides an important foundation but goes one step further and demonstrates the practical use of new technology for applied analysis with commercial software packages (e.g., algebraic, numerical and statistical). - Delivers a focused and concise treatment on the underlying theory and direct application of mathematical methods so that the reader has a collection of important mathematical tools that are easily understood and ready for application as a practicing engineer - The book material has been derived from class-tested courses presented over many years in applied mathematics for engineering students (all problem sets and exam questions given for the course(s) are included along with a solution manual) - Provides fundamental theory for applied mathematics while also introducing the application of commercial software packages as modern tools for engineering application, including: EXCEL (statistical analysis); MAPLE (symbolic and numeric computing environment); and COMSOL (finite element solver for ordinary and partial differential equations)