While not a manual, OCW provides full problem sets and solutions for applied math in chem E. Use those to cross-train on Rice’s problem types.
Keywords: Solutions Manual to Accompany Applied Mathematics and Modeling for Chemical Engineers, Richard G. Rice, Unknown Binding, Chemical Engineering Math, Process Modeling
For decades, chemical engineering students have faced a common rite of passage: the bridge from theoretical mathematics to practical process analysis. At the center of this transition sits a legendary textbook: Applied Mathematics and Modeling for Chemical Engineers by Richard G. Rice (often co-authored with Duong D. Do). However, adjacent to this text lies an almost mythical resource—the Solutions Manual, particularly the elusive “Unknown Binding” edition.
If you are a graduate student, a practicing engineer returning to theory, or an instructor seeking validation of problem sets, finding and utilizing this solutions manual can transform your understanding of transport phenomena, reaction engineering, and applied mathematics. While not a manual, OCW provides full problem
This article provides a comprehensive deep dive into what this manual contains, why the “Unknown Binding” version is unique, how to use it ethically for learning, and where to look for legitimate copies.
(Note: Later chapters cover PDEs, similarity transforms, and asymptotic methods.)
The official Solutions Manual is copyrighted by the publisher (Wiley) and is typically only sold to bona fide instructors through university adoption channels. It is not legally available for direct public purchase on sites like Amazon or eBay. If you encounter an “Unknown Binding” copy for sale, verify its provenance to ensure it is an authorized reproduction (e.g., a legacy department copy) and not an unauthorized scan. (Note: Later chapters cover PDEs, similarity transforms, and
Use your university’s ILL system. Request the ISBN of the main text (often 0471804777 or 9780471804770) and specify “accompanying instructor’s solutions manual, any binding.” Libraries with PhD programs in chem E often have archival copies.
For the chemical engineering bibliophile, the Unknown Binding edition represents a snapshot of pedagogical history. Before digital learning platforms, instructors typed or hand-wrote solutions, then bound them at campus copy centers with plastic combs or spiral spines. These copies often contain:
Some known copies from Tulane University (where Rice taught for years) include additional problems on catalytic cracking modeling—never published elsewhere. instructors typed or hand-wrote solutions
If you find a true vintage unknown binding manual in good condition, it is both a study aid and a piece of academic heritage.
The solutions align directly with the textbook’s core chapters, including: