Students today enter engineering courses with a wide range of mathematical skills, due to the many different pre-university qualifications studied. Bill Cox's aim is for students to gain a thorough understanding of the maths they are studying, by first strengthening their background in the essentials of each topic. His approach allows a unique self-paced study style, in which students Review their strengths and weaknesses through self-administered diagnostic tests, then focus on Revision where they need it, to finally Reinforce the skills required.

Understanding Engineering Mathematics is structured around a highly successful 'transition' maths course at Aston University which has demonstrated a clear improvement in students' achievement in mathematics, and has been commended by QAA Subject Review and engineering accreditation reports.