The pebbles used in ancient abacuses gave their name to the calculus which today is a fundamental tool in business economics engineering and the sciences. This introductory book takes readers gently from single to multivariate calculus and simple differential and difference equations. Unusually the book offers a wide range of applications in business and economics as well as more conventional scientific examples. Ideas from univariate calculus and linear algebra are covered as needed often from a new perspective. They are reinforced in the two-dimensional case which is studied in detail before generalisation to higher dimensions. Although there are no theorems or formal proofs this is a serious book in which conceptual issues are explained carefully using numerous geometric devices and a wealth of worked examples diagrams and exercises. Mathematica has been used to generate many beautiful and accurate full-colour illustrations to help students visualise complex mathematical objects. This adds to the accessibility of the text which will appeal to a wide audience among students of mathematics economics and science. Language: English