The emphasis of this introductory FORTRAN text for science and engineering students is on applications, with examples and exercises from many disciplines. The basis of the text is FORTRAN 77, but an introduction to FORTRAN 90 is included.

The supplements were class-tested at the State University of New York at Geneseo. They include teaching suggestions, answers to all the problems, examination questions, a programming aptitude test, and diskettes containing all the programs in the text together with solutions to some exercises.

The structure of the book is fairly typical. It starts with an introduction to computers and programming and a chapter on problem solving. Then FORTRAN is introduced, beginning with building blocks, control statements, repetition structures, and general data types, which are followed by formatted input/output and arrays. Subprograms come into the plot in chapter 9, followed by other control statements and data manipulation.

File handling and visual output are presented next. Chapter 13 then covers some applications, such as Monte Carlo techniques. Numeric methods including least squares and numerical integration and solving systems of simultaneous equations precede the closing chapter on standards, structured program designs, documentation, software engineering, and optimization.

In future editions, it would be helpful to have Appendix B, on system functions, and Appendix C, a capsule summary of statements, as separate cards, so they could be used as easy references while programming.