Essentials of Automatic Control with MATLAB® in 20 Lessons

Automatic control becomes easier to follow when its mathematics is connected to examples and practical analysis. This engineering text builds that connection across 20 lessons, pairing worked examples with MATLAB® exercises as it develops the principles behind feedback and control-system behavior.

The main focus is classical control of single-input, single-output linear continuous-time systems. Along the way, the authors introduce multiple-input, multiple-output and discrete-time systems, giving students a foundation for further study.

Twenty lessons, from models to controllers

The sequence begins with the meaning of control, feedback loops, and mathematical models of physical systems. It then moves through MATLAB basics, Laplace transforms, continuous-time linear systems, equilibrium and stability, transfer functions, and ways of combining systems. Later lessons examine reachability and observability, time-domain specifications, frequency response, Bode diagrams, and closed-loop stability.

Bring the analysis into MATLAB

MATLAB appears throughout the lesson sequence in support of the subject matter: readers encounter its use in defining systems, calculating responses, examining stability, and working with control-system concepts. The exercises and worked examples help connect analytical methods with computational practice.

Continue toward design

The later lessons extend the groundwork into discrete-time analysis, controller design, PID control, and linear state regulators and observers. This progression makes the book useful as an organized introduction to the subject, while also pointing toward topics commonly explored in more advanced control study.

A focused foundation for engineering students

Written primarily for undergraduate engineering students, the book is also relevant to readers looking for a structured overview of automatic control. Its emphasis on classical SISO systems keeps the core thread clear, while the introductory MIMO and discrete-time material broadens the view beyond that starting point.

For students who want control theory presented as a sequence of connected ideas—with MATLAB worked into the learning process—these 20 lessons provide a purposeful place to begin.