Abstract
This second edition of the book presents computer programming as a key method
for solving mathematical problems and represents a major revision: all code is now
written in Python version 3.6 (the first edition was based on Python version 2.7).
The first two chapters of the previous edition have been extended and split up into
five new chapters, thus expanding the introduction to programming from 50 to 150
pages. Throughout, explanations are now more complete, previous examples have
been modified, and new sections, examples, and exercises have been added. Also,
errors and typos have been corrected. The book was inspired by the Springer book
TCSE 6, A Primer on Scientific Programming with Python (by Langtangen), but
the style is more accessible and concise in keeping with the needs of engineering
students. The book outlines the shortest possible path from no previous experience
with programming to a set of skills that allows the students to write simple programs
for solving common mathematical problems with numerical methods in engineering
and science courses. The emphasis is on generic algorithms, clean design of
programs, use of functions, and automatic tests for verification.
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