This chapter introduces accounting concepts and principles. It describes the nature of business and accounting's role in providing financial information. Accounting involves identifying, measuring, recording, and communicating financial transactions and is the language of business. The accounting equation, assets = liabilities + equity, expresses the relationship between what a business owns, owes, and is worth. The chapter also discusses the accounting cycle, from recording transactions to producing financial statements, and the accounts used to track changes in a business's financial position and performance.