Series Preface

In recent years there have been many changes in the structure of undergraduate courses in engineering and the process is continuing. With the advent of modularization, semesterization and the move towards student-centred learning as class contact time is reduced, students and teachers alike are having to adjust to new methods of learning and teaching.

Essential Electronics is a series of textbooks intended for use by students on degree and diploma level courses in electrical and electronic engineering and related courses such as manufacturing, mechanical, civil and general engineering. Each text is complete in itself and is complementary to other books in the series.

A feature of these books is the acknowledgement of the new culture outlined above and of the fact that students entering higher education are now, through no fault of their own, less well equipped in mathematics and physics than students of ten or even five years ago. With numerous worked examples throughout, and further problems with answers at the end of each chapter, the texts are ideal for directed and independent learning.

The early books in the series cover topics normally found in the first and second year curricula and assume virtually no previous knowledge, with mathematics being kept to a minimum. Later ones are intended for study at final year level.

The authors are all highly qualified chartered engineers with wide experience in higher education and in industry.