diff --git a/cachematrix.R b/cachematrix.R
index a50be65aa44..a1cc47b2272 100644
--- a/cachematrix.R
+++ b/cachematrix.R
@@ -1,15 +1,44 @@
-## Put comments here that give an overall description of what your
-## functions do
+# cachematrix.R implements accepts a matrix input and creates a 
+# special matrix object that is able to cache its own inverse
+# example usage:
+# 	source("cachematrix.R")
+#	m0 <- matrix(c(1, 4, 9, 16), 2,2)	# create matrix
+#	m1 <- makeCacheMatrix(m0)			# create 'special' matrix
+#	cacheSolve(m2)			# calculate inverse of matrix
+#	cacheSolve(m2)			# calling cacheSolve again retrieves previously
+#							# calculated inverse
 
-## Write a short comment describing this function
 
-makeCacheMatrix <- function(x = matrix()) {
+# makeCacheMatrix accepts a matrix and creates an object that
+# can cache its' inverse. i.e. save its own inverse itself
 
+makeCacheMatrix <- function(x = numeric()) {
+	m <- NULL
+	set <- function(y){
+		x <<- y
+		m <<- NULL
+	}
+	get <- function() x
+	setinverse <- function(solve) m <<- solve
+	getinverse <- function() m
+	list(set = set, get = get,
+	setinverse = setinverse,
+	getinverse = getinverse)
 }
 
-
-## Write a short comment describing this function
+# cacheSolve returns the inverse of a cacheMatrix object
+# if called for the first time it calculates and stores the inverse
+# if called after that it returns the previously calculated & stored inverse
 
 cacheSolve <- function(x, ...) {
+	m <- x$getinverse()
+	if(!is.null(m)){
+		message("getting cached data")
+		return(m)
+	}
+	data <- x$get()
+	m <- solve(data, ...)
+	x$setinverse(m)
+	m
         ## Return a matrix that is the inverse of 'x'
 }