Featuring MATLAB examples to provide motivation for the theory to come, this introductory text incorporates MATLAB code to allow students to understand how the theory is applied in practice. Numerous computer exercises familiarize the student with MATLAB and how it is used to solve real problems. "Real-world" problems from various disciplines are emphasized in each chapter to illlustrate the application of the concepts. Beginning with discrete random variables, readers then encounter continuous random variables, thus minimizing confusion.