Start your MATLAB journey with this free introductory chapter from MATLAB Mastery. Designed for complete beginners, this chapter provides a clear and engaging overview of the MATLAB environment, showing you how to use it both as an interactive computational tool and as a programming platform. Through simple explanations and practical examples, you will quickly learn how to perform basic calculations, work with variables, and navigate the MATLAB workspace with confidence. This chapter is part of a carefully curated and enhanced edition based on a respected Arabic textbook by leading Egyptian scholars, now translated and refined for modern learners. Edited and translated by Peter I. Kattan, the full book offers a structured path from fundamentals to real-world applications-making it an ideal resource for students, engineers, and self-learners ready to master MATLAB step by step.