cachematrix.R

## Below are two functions that are used to create a special
## object that stores a numeric matrix and caches its inverse

## The first function, makeCacheMatrix creates a special "matrix",
## which is really a list containing a function to
##    set the value of the matrix
##    get the value of the matrix
##    set the value of the inverse
##    get the value of the inverse
makeCacheMatrix <- function(x = matrix()) {
        s <- NULL
        set <- function(y) {
                x <<- y
                s <<- NULL
        }
        get <- function() x
        setInverse <- function(solve) s <<- solve
        getInverse <- function() s
        list(set = set, get = get,
             setInverse = setInverse,
             getInverse = getInverse)
}

## The following function calculates the inverse of the special
# "matrix" created with the above function. However, it first
## checks to see if the inverse has already been calculated. If
## so, it gets the inverse from the cache and skips the computation.
## Otherwise, it calculates the inverse of the matrix and sets the
## value of the inverse in the cache via the setInverse function.
cacheSolve <- function(x, ...) {
        ## Return a matrix that is the inverse of 'x'
        s <- x$getInverse()
        if(!is.null(s)) {
                message("getting cached data")
                return(s)
        }
        data <- x$get()
        s <- solve(data, ...)
        x$setInverse(s)
        s
}