An elementary formalism is developed for latent heat in such a way as to demonstrate its physical significance and to obtain expressions by which its value may be determined and its properties studied. Software has been written to enable students to investigate these properties in a flexible manner using a standard experimental set-up. Data files in the menu enable standard data to be called upon for analysis in a comparable way with experimental data. By the use of transducers students are led to appreciate how thermometric parameters can be automatically monitored such as during a change of state.