This text emphasizes the intelligent application of approximation techniques to the type of problems that commonly occur in engineering and the physical sciences. Worked examples using computer algebra systems help students understand why the software usually works, why it might fail, and what to do when a software program fails. The exercise sets include problems reflecting a wide range of difficulty as well as problems that offer good illustrations of the methods being discussed, while requiring little calculation. The book contains instructions for a wide range of popular computer algebra...