diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..807ea251739
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+.Rproj.user
+.Rhistory
+.RData
diff --git a/cachematrix.R b/cachematrix.R
index a50be65aa44..6d7199421e5 100644
--- a/cachematrix.R
+++ b/cachematrix.R
@@ -1,15 +1,68 @@
-## Put comments here that give an overall description of what your
-## functions do
-
-## Write a short comment describing this function
+# cachematrix.R
+#
+# 2 functions to assist in caching the inverse of a matrix
+#
+# Usage:
+#   You first create a makeCacheMatrix object from a matrix
+#   then you solve its inverse using cacheSolve
 
 makeCacheMatrix <- function(x = matrix()) {
-
+    # Wrap the matrix object provided and allow the caching of it's inverse 
+    #
+    # Args:
+    #   x: a matrix object whose inverse can be calculated 
+    #
+    # Returns:
+    #   A list of four functions (set, get, setInverse, getInverse)
+        
+    inverse <- NULL
+    
+    # replace the matrix with a new one
+    set <- function(y) {
+        x <<- y
+        inverse <<- NULL
+    }
+    
+    # get the matrix object
+    get <- function() x
+    
+    # set the inverse of the matrix
+    setInverse <- function(inverseMatrix) inverse <<- inverseMatrix
+    
+    # get the saved inverse or NULL
+    getInverse <- function() inverse
+    
+    # return object
+    list(set = set, get = get,
+         setInverse = setInverse,
+         getInverse = getInverse)
 }
 
-
-## Write a short comment describing this function
-
 cacheSolve <- function(x, ...) {
-        ## Return a matrix that is the inverse of 'x'
-}
+    # Compute the inverse of the matrix provided by the makeCacheMatrix object
+    #
+    # Args:
+    #   x: makeCacheMatrix object  
+    #
+    # Returns:
+    #   The inverse of the provided matrix
+    #
+    # Todo: 
+    #   write guard clause against x != matrix
+    
+    inverse <- x$getInverse()
+    
+    # Returns the cached inverse if it is available
+    if(!is.null(inverse)) {
+        message("getting cached inverse matrix")
+        return(inverse)
+    }
+    
+    # calculate the inverse
+    data <- x$get()
+    inverse <- solve(data, ...)
+    x$setInverse(inverse)
+    
+    # return the inverse
+    inverse
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/peerAssignment.Rproj b/peerAssignment.Rproj
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3715d52d2dc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/peerAssignment.Rproj
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+Version: 1.0
+
+RestoreWorkspace: Default
+SaveWorkspace: Default
+AlwaysSaveHistory: Default
+
+EnableCodeIndexing: Yes
+UseSpacesForTab: Yes
+NumSpacesForTab: 4
+Encoding: UTF-8
+
+RnwWeave: knitr
+LaTeX: pdfLaTeX