diff --git a/cachematrix.R b/cachematrix.R
index a50be65aa44..2ff46fe2369 100644
--- a/cachematrix.R
+++ b/cachematrix.R
@@ -1,15 +1,49 @@
-## Put comments here that give an overall description of what your
-## functions do
+## makeCacheMatrix - creates a new matrix that can keep cached copies of it's inverse
+## cacheSolve - finds the inverse of a CacheMatrix, checking for a cached inverse first
+## solution by Pat Eyler, based on makeVector and cachemean from assignment
 
-## Write a short comment describing this function
 
-makeCacheMatrix <- function(x = matrix()) {
+## makeCacheMatrix creates a new version of a matrix with set, get, setinverse, 
+## and getinverse functions
+## if given a matrix as it's argument, it copies the values in it to the new matrix
+##
+## the set function will overwrite the values in the CacheMatrix with the matrix provided
+##
+## the get function will return the matrix
+##
+## the setinverse function will set the cached inverse as whatever argument is provided
+##
+## the get inverse function will return whatever value is currently cached
 
+makeCacheMatrix <- function(x = matrix()) {
+    i <- NULL
+    ## build the set, get, setinverse, and getinverse functions
+    set <- function(y) {
+        x <<- y
+        i <<- NULL
+    }
+    get <- function() x
+    setinverse <- function(solution) i <<- solution
+    getinverse <- function() i
+    # build a list of the 4 functions and return it
+    list(set = set, get = get,
+         setinverse = setinverse,
+         getinverse = getinverse)
 }
 
 
-## Write a short comment describing this function
+## cacheSolve will check to see if there is a cached copy of 
+## the inverse of the matrix and return it if available.
+## Otherwise it will calculate the inverse, cache it, and return it
 
 cacheSolve <- function(x, ...) {
-        ## Return a matrix that is the inverse of 'x'
+    ## first use getinverse to see if there's a cached version
+    i <- x$getinverse()
+    if(!is.null(i)) { ## if there's a cached version, return it
+        return(i)
+    } #otherwise find the inverse and cache it
+    data <- x$get()
+    i <- solve(data, ...)
+    x$setinverse(i)
+    i
 }