Although scientists nowadays have ready access to large-scale computer systems which incorporate sophisticated package programs for solving statistical and numerical problems, many of their day-to-day problems can be solved (and are possibly better solved) on the small programmable desk calculators and mini-computers now finding their way into every laboratory. These machines, with capacities not unlike those of computers two decades ago, are proving popular because of their ready availability, their cheapness and the fact that the research worker can ‘play around’ with his data as long as he likes. His final analysis is likely to be better than that produced by batch processing on a large computer. Package programs are available for these desk machines, but the research worker usually needs to tailor these programs to meet his own particular needs. This handbook is designed to aid him in this task.

Package programs on large-scale computer systems solve standard problems and they usually produce copious output. The scientist needs to understand something of the program methodology and he should be familiar with the various items output by the program.This is particularly true if he wants to modify or combine packages to solve non-standard problems. Many of the basic numerical and statistical techniques are described in this handbook.

Interactive computer terminals are now becoming more widely available. They have the advantage of the full-scale computer system and the convenience of a desk-top programmable calculator.