Hi, sorry for the dumb question but when I bought the car, it didn't come with a manual.

All of a sudden today an orange warning light came on. It's on the right side of the instrument panel, & is basically in the shape of a misshapen rectangle (looks like some sort of car-part that I'm unfamiliar with, has what looks like jagged teeth or other mechanical variations). The car made a *ding* sound when it came on, but I haven't noticed any difference at all in the car's performance (although I only had to drive it for another 2 minutes after it first appeared).

Anybody know what the problem is stemming from, or what my car is trying to tell me?

 

Did it perhaps look like the icon below?

 

what does that exactly mean?

 

I have the same light come on the one shown above (ORANGE) ( what does it mean ?

 

If that's the light you have on, AND you have to ask what it means, than a trip to a mechanic is in order.

That is an icon of your engine. Since it's lit, it's telling you something is broken, or will be sooner than later.