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Introduction to Engineering - Thinking Like an Engineer

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Introduction to Engineering - Thinking Like an Engineer

An introductory engineering textbook for first-year students emphasizing analytical thinking, problem solving, design, ethics, computation, communication, and academic/career pathways in engineering.

Introductory EngineeringEngineering
Author
Jonathan Compton
Publisher
Antelope Valley College
Source
LibreTexts
License
CC BY-NC
Language
EN
Read online Download PDF (open licence)
Contents· 193 sections
  1. 01: What is Engineering
  2. 1.01: The Engineer You Don't Notice
  3. 1.02: A Working Definition
  4. 1.03: Engineering vs Science vs Technology
  5. 1.04: What Engineers Actually Do
  6. 1.05: The Engineering Mindset
  7. 1.06: What Engineers Actually Do
  8. 1.07: Major Disciplines at a Glance
  9. 1.08: Ethics Is Not a Separate Chapter
  10. 1.09: What This Course Will Build
  11. 1.10: Summary
  12. 1.11: Quick Check
  13. 02: Engineering Disciplines and Careers
  14. 2.01: The Question Most Students Ask
  15. 2.02: The Major Engineering Disciplines
  16. 2.03: Most Real Problems Cross Discipline Boundaries
  17. 2.04: Engineering by the Numbers
  18. 2.05: Functional Roles
  19. 2.06: Choosing a Discipline
  20. 2.07: One Obligation That Every Discipline Shares
  21. 2.08: Summary
  22. 2.09: Quick Check
  23. 03: Academic Pathways and Transfer Strategy
  24. 3.01: Engineering Is a Structured Academic Path
  25. 3.02: The Mathematics Backbone
  26. 3.03: Physics as Applied Mathematics
  27. 3.04: Typical Lower-Division Engineering Path (Community College)
  28. 3.05: Degree Levels and Transfer Destinations
  29. 3.06: Transfer Strategy
  30. 3.07: Academic Risk Factors
  31. 3.08: Treating Your Academic Plan Like an Engineering Problem
  32. 3.09: Summary
  33. 3.10: Quick Check
  34. 04: Engineering Success Systems
  35. 4.01: It Is Not About Talent
  36. 4.02: Understanding Your Real Workload
  37. 4.03: How to Actually Study Engineering
  38. 4.04: Understanding Your Errors
  39. 4.05: Goals Humility and the Long Game
  40. 4.06: Engineering Teamwork
  41. 4.07: Sustaining Yourself Over the Long Haul
  42. 4.08: Summary
  43. 4.09: End-of-Chapter Exercise
  44. 05: Units and Dimensional Analysis
  45. 5.01: Why Units Matter
  46. 5.02: Quantities vs. Numbers
  47. 5.03: SI System Base and Derived Units
  48. 5.04: Unit Conversion Method
  49. 5.05: SI Prefixes
  50. 5.06: Dimensional Analysis
  51. 5.07: Units in Computational Models
  52. 5.08: Order-of-Magnitude Reasoning
  53. 5.09: From Units to Everything That Follows
  54. 5.10: Summary
  55. 5.11: End-of-Chapter Problem Set
  56. 06: Structured Engineering Problem Solving
  57. 6.01: Why Structure Matters
  58. 6.02: Full Workflow Worked Example First
  59. 6.03: Step 1 Define
  60. 6.04: Step 2 Model
  61. 6.05: Step 3 Analyze
  62. 6.06: Step 4 Interpret Sensitivity
  63. 6.07: Step 5 Communicate
  64. 6.08: Five Common Failure Patterns
  65. 6.09: The Workflow Across Disciplines
  66. 6.10: Structure and Professional Accountability
  67. 6.11: Summary
  68. 6.12: End-of-Chapter Problem Set
  69. 07: The Engineering Design Process
  70. 7.01: Analysis vs Design
  71. 7.02: What Makes a Design Problem
  72. 7.03: Seven-Step Design Framework
  73. 7.04: Define the Design Objective
  74. 7.05: Identify Constraints
  75. 7.06: Generate Alternatives
  76. 7.07: Model and Analyze
  77. 7.08: Evaluate Trade-offs
  78. 7.09: Iterate and Refine
  79. 7.10: Communicate
  80. 7.11: Design Ethics and Safety Factors
  81. 7.12: Summary
  82. 7.13: Quick Check
  83. 08: Spreadsheet Modeling
  84. 8.01: From Calculator to Model
  85. 8.02: Structuring an Engineering Spreadsheet
  86. 8.03: Absolute vs Relative References
  87. 8.04: Parameter Sweeps
  88. 8.05: Graphical Visualization
  89. 8.06: Conditional Formatting and IF Logic
  90. 8.07: Six Common Spreadsheet Errors
  91. 8.08: Spreadsheets as Design Exploration Tools
  92. 8.09: When Spreadsheets Are Not Enough
  93. 8.10: Summary
  94. 8.11: End-of-Chapter Problem Set
  95. 09: Data Visualization for Engineers
  96. 9.01: Why Graphs Are an Engineering Tool
  97. 9.02: Chart Type Selection
  98. 9.03: Anatomy of an Engineering Graph
  99. 9.04: Linear vs Nonlinear Trends
  100. 9.05: Misleading Visualizations
  101. 9.06: Logarithmic Scales
  102. 9.07: Multi-Curve Comparison
  103. 9.08: Visualization and Interpretation
  104. 9.09: Advanced Chart Features
  105. 9.10: Graph Checklist Quick Reference
  106. 9.11: Summary
  107. 9.12: Quick Check
  108. 10: MATLAB for Engineering Computation
  109. 10.01: Why Engineers Program
  110. 10.02: MATLAB as Structured Engineering
  111. 10.03: Script Basics
  112. 10.04: Four-Step Build
  113. 10.05: Trigonometry in MATLAB
  114. 10.06: Conditional Logic
  115. 10.07: Logical Indexing
  116. 10.08: Programming Project- Cable Car in MATLAB
  117. 10.09: Choosing the Right Tool
  118. 10.10: Summary
  119. 10.11: End-of-Chapter Problem Set
  120. 11: Circuit Fundamentals
  121. 11.01: Circuits as Energy Systems
  122. 11.02: Physical Meaning
  123. 11.03: Ohms Law
  124. 11.04: Power
  125. 11.05: Schematic Symbols
  126. 11.06: Series Circuits
  127. 11.07: Parallel Circuits
  128. 11.08: Series vs Parallel Comparison
  129. 11.09: Kirchhoff's Laws
  130. 11.10: Power in Networks
  131. 11.11: Mixed Circuits
  132. 11.12: LED Design
  133. 11.13: Circuit Simulator
  134. 11.14: Summary
  135. 11.15: End-of-Chapter Problem Set
  136. 12: Parametric CAD and 3D Modeling
  137. 12.01: CAD Is Not Drawing
  138. 12.02: Parametric Modeling Core Concepts
  139. 12.03: From Sketch to Solid
  140. 12.04: The Sketch as a Mathematical Definition
  141. 12.05: The Fusion Project
  142. 12.06: Modeling Workflow
  143. 12.07: Five Common Modeling Errors
  144. 12.08: CAD in the Engineering Landscape
  145. 12.09: Summary
  146. 12.10: End-of-Chapter Problems
  147. 13: Engineering Communication
  148. 13.01: Communication Is Part of the Deliverable
  149. 13.02: Three Modes of Communication
  150. 13.03: The Technical Memo
  151. 13.04: Complete Memo Example
  152. 13.05: Quantitative Precision
  153. 13.06: Graphs and Tables
  154. 13.07: Technical Presentations
  155. 13.08: TEGO Case Study
  156. 13.09: Professional Email
  157. 13.10: Communicating Uncertainty and Limitations
  158. 13.11: Summary
  159. 13.12: End-of-Chapter Applied Exercises
  160. 14: Engineering Ethics
  161. 14.01: Ethics Is Not an Add-On
  162. 14.02: NCEES Model Rules
  163. 14.03: Ethics HW Preview Table
  164. 14.04: Safety Factors
  165. 14.05: Modeling Assumptions
  166. 14.06: Eight-Step Framework
  167. 14.07: Ethics HW Scenario 1
  168. 14.08: Ethics HW Scenario 2
  169. 14.09: Ethics HW Scenario 3
  170. 14.10: Academic Integrity
  171. 14.11: Citicorp Case Study
  172. 14.12: Environmental Responsibility
  173. 14.13: Summary
  174. 14.14: Quick Check
  175. 15: Integrated Engineering Design Challenge
  176. 15.01: This Is Not a New Topic
  177. 15.02: Challenge Specifications
  178. 15.03: Define- Units Loads What Best Means
  179. 15.04: Model- Tension Compression Straws
  180. 15.05: Mass Budget
  181. 15.06: Parameter Sweep
  182. 15.07: Alternatives and Decision Matrix
  183. 15.08: Iterate
  184. 15.09: Bridge Report
  185. 15.10: Course Map
  186. 15.11: Summary
  187. 15.12: End-of-Chapter Problem Set
  188. 16: Appendices
  189. 16.01: Appendix A Standard Symbols and Units
  190. 16.02: Appendix B Unit Conversion Reference Table
  191. 16.03: Appendix C MATLAB Quick Reference
  192. 16.04: Appendix D Spreadsheet Quick Reference (Excel)
  193. 16.05: Appendix E Technical Memo Template