BAI Megazine
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.
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.
Q1: Can I buy a PDF of the Solutions Manual directly from Richard G. Rice? No. Professor Rice is retired, and rights now belong to Wiley. Wiley does not sell solutions manuals to students. Q1: Can I buy a PDF of the
Q2: Is the “International Edition” of the textbook the same? Does it include a solutions manual? The international edition (paperback) of the main text has identical problems but never includes the solutions manual. Be wary of sellers claiming otherwise.
Q3: How many problems are solved in the manual? Approximately 85–90% of the end-of-chapter problems. The most challenging derivations (Chapter 4 & 5) are fully solved.
Q4: What is the difference between the 1st and 2nd edition solutions manuals? The 1st edition (unknown binding) covers Rice alone; the 2nd edition (with Duong D. Do) has revised problems on adsorption and chromatography. Make sure your manual matches your textbook edition.
Before discussing the solutions manual, one must appreciate the difficulty of the source material. Rice’s Applied Mathematics and Modeling for Chemical Engineers is not a standard math textbook. It is an applied problem-solver’s bible. Before discussing the solutions manual, one must appreciate
Key topics covered in the original text include:
Unlike plug-and-chug engineering problems, Rice’s problems are notorious for multi-step derivations, hidden algebraic traps, and physical interpretations that require deep intuition. Without a solutions manual, students often spend hours stuck on a single partial differential equation (PDE), mistaking a sign error for a conceptual gap.
Thus, the Solutions Manual to Accompany Applied Mathematics and Modeling for Chemical Engineers becomes not a crutch, but a critical learning accelerator—when used correctly.
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. instructors typed or hand-wrote solutions
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.
If you find a true vintage unknown binding manual in good condition, it is both a study aid and a piece of academic heritage.