The goal of this book is to demystify Computer Algebra Systems for a wide audience including students, faculty, and professionals in scientific fields such as computer science, mathematics, engineering, and physics. Unlike previous books, the only prerequisites are knowledge of first year calculus and a little programming experience-a background that can be assumed of the intended audience. The book is written in a lean and lively style, with numerous examples to illustrate the issues and techniques discussed. It presents the principal algorithms and data structures, while also discussing the inherent and practical limitations of these systems.