This extremely well-written and easy-to-read introductory book for computer science majors focuses on programming in Pascal. The text uses an example-driven approach--with 200 complete Pascal programs--that introduces the most versatile Pascal features first for maximum instructor flexibility. Students examine examples of algorithm design and computer programming, discovering the fundamental concepts underlying computer science. Each Pascal feature is introduced within a useful context. The text is designed to teach the concepts of the software cycle, as well as Pascal syntax. The text also offers abundant pedagogical aids, including Key Words, Things to Check in a Manual, Experiments to Try, Changes to Make, and Exercises. It also provides coverage of topics not normally found in introductory computer science texts: abstraction, NS charts, algorithms and heuristics, paths of execution, loop invariants, and more.