Aimed primarily at graduate students and beginning researchers, this book provides an introduction to algebraic geometry that is particularly suitable for those with no previous contact with the subject; it assumes only the standard background of undergraduate algebra. The book starts with easily-formulated problems with non-trivial solutions and uses these problems to introduce the fundamental tools of modern algebraic geometry: dimension; singularities; sheaves; varieties; and cohomology. A range of exercises is provided for each topic discussed, and a selection of problems and exam papers are collected in an appendix to provide material for further study.