This well-respected text introduces the theory and application of modern numerical approximation techniques to students taking a one- or two-semester course in numerical analysis. Providing an accessible treatment that only requires a calculus prerequisite, the authors explain how, why, and when approximation techniques can be expected to work-and why, in some situations, they fail. A wealth of examples and exercises develop students intuition, and demonstrate the subjects practical applications to important everyday problems in math, computing, engineering, and physical science disciplines. The first book of its kind when crafted more than 30 years ago to serve a diverse undergraduate audience, Burden, Faires, and Burdens NUMERICAL ANALYSIS remains the definitive introduction to a vital and practical subject.