The five cases begin simple, with a wavelet technique for reducing noise in laboratory data, and progress to complex work on a two- dimensional geographical data display conducted at the Earthquake Research Institute in Japan. Others include developing a Japanese text-to-speech system for personal computers and the study of atmospheric wind, turbulent fluid, and seismic acceleration data. Readers with only calculus and some junior and senior mathematics for scientists and engineers will not necessarily drown, but full sailing really requires a solid background in undergraduate mathematics, particularly analysis and numerical analysis, and some familiarity with the basics of wavelets.