If you read the 'business pages' of a newspaper or if you listen to the financial news on television or radio, you will often hear terms such as 'liability', 'balance sheet' or 'earnings'. These terms turn up in non-financial contexts as well: 'he was more of a liability than an asset'. If you invest in shares, manage your family's personal finances, or sit on a committee of the property company which owns your apartment, you will receive financial statements. If you are a manager in a company, a hospital or a school, you will see accounting information often.
This Very Short Introduction...