Abstract

Unlike books currently on the market, this book attempts to satisfy two goals: combine circuits and electronics into a single, unified treatment, and establish a strong connection with the contemporary world of digital systems. It will introduce a new way of looking not only at the treatment of circuits, but also at the treatment of introductory coursework in engineering in general.
Using the concept of ''abstraction,'' the book attempts to form a bridge between the world of physics and the world of large computer systems. In particular, it attempts to unify electrical engineering and computer science as the art of creating and exploiting successive abstractions to manage the complexity of building useful electrical systems. Computer systems are simply one type of electrical systems.
+Balances circuits theory with practical digital electronics applications.
+Illustrates concepts with real devices.
+Supports the popular circuits and electronics course on the MIT OpenCourse Ware from which professionals worldwide study this new approach.
+Written by two educators well known for their innovative teaching and research and their collaboration with industry.
+Focuses on contemporary MOS technology.
"This is the first college textbook I have seen that covers electrical and electronic fundamentals in the context of what is really going on in the electronics world." - Lou Frenzel, Technology Editor, Electronic Design Magazine, 2005
"Finally, an introductory circuit analysis book has been written that truly unifies the treatment of traditional circuit analysis and electronics. Agarwal and Lang skillfully combine the fundamentals of circuit analysis with the fundamentals of modern analog and digital integrated circuits. I expect this book to establish a new trend in the way introductory circuit analysis is taught to electrical and computer engineers."
-Tim Trick, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
"Without a doubt, students in engineering today want to quickly relate what they learn from courses to what they experience in the electronics-filled world they live in. Understanding today's digital world requires a strong background in analog circuit principles as well as a keen intuition about their impact on electronics. In Foundations... Agarwal and Lang present a unique and powerful approach for an exciting first course introducing engineers to the world of analog and digital systems."
-Ravi Subramanian, Berkeley Design Automation
"Well-written and pedagogically sound, this book provides a good balance between theory and practical application. Most introductory circuit theory texts focus primarily on the analysis of lumped element networks without putting these networks into a practical electronics context. However, it is becoming more critical for our electrical and computer engineering students to understand and appreciate the common ground from which both fields originate."
-Gary May, Georgia Institute of Technology