Engineers are problem solvers. They construct mathematical models, develop analytical and numerical approaches and methodologies, and design and manufacture various types of devices, systems, or processes. Mathematical development and engineering analysis are aids to designing systems for specific functionalities, and they involve (1) mathematical model development, (2) data acquisition by measurements, (3) numerical simulation, and (4) evaluation of the results in light of known information. Mathematical models are developed using laws of physics and assumptions concerning the behavior of the system under consideration. The most difficult step in arriving at a design that is both functional and cost-effective is the construction of a suitable mathematical model of the system's behavior. It is in this context that a course on continuum mechanics or elasticity provides engineers with the background to formulate a suitable mathematical model and evaluate it in the context of the functionality and design constraints placed on the system.