Introduction to Engineering

A readable overview of the various aspects of the engineering professions is given in this book. The first three chapters present a brief history of engineering and a survey of engineering career paths, then address the ethical and legal responsibilities of the profession, including the role of engineering societies, and registration and licensing of engineers. Chapters 4 through 7 discuss the creative aspects of engineering, design methods, written and oral communication, common mathematics used in engineering, and data handling. Chapters 8 and 9 comprise elementary treatments of engineering mechanics and electronics, supported by illustrative examples of problem solutions. Chapter 10 briefly describes the types, components, and operation of computers, and includes brief treatments of computer languages and programming. The final chapter presents a case study of the Challenger space shuttle accident.