fe-handbook-ref

name	fe-handbook-ref
description	Expert skill for retrieving and integrating formulas from the NCEES FE Reference Handbook (10.1) into LaTeX documents. Provides full-text search via content_raw and image references for every page. Maps printed pages to PDF indices across three offset zones.

FE Handbook Reference Skill

When to use this skill

ALWAYS use this skill when you need:

• To find a formula, constant, or table from the FE Handbook.
• To cite a specific page of the handbook in a solution (e.g., MAT16xx courses).
• To ensure LaTeX formulas exactly match the "official" version provided by UC engineering fundamentals.

1. Interaction Protocol

1. Identify the need: "I need the formula for [Concept] from the handbook."
2. Search by keyword: Use grep on the content_raw field in resources/handbook_map.json:

   grep -i "laplace" resources/handbook_map.json | head -5
   

   Or use a Python one-liner for structured results:

   python3 -c "
   import json
   d = json.load(open('resources/handbook_map.json'))
   for p in d['pages']:
       if 'laplace' in p.get('content_raw','').lower() or 'laplace' in p.get('title','').lower():
           print(f'Page {p[\"handbook_page\"]} (pdf {p[\"pdf_index\"]}): {p[\"title\"]}')
   "
   

3. Locate the page: Note the handbook_page (printed number for citation) and pdf_index (for image extraction).
4. Show the image: Reference the page image at resources/images/p{handbook_page}_content.png.
5. Integrate: Use latex-illustrator to insert the LaTeX snippet or image into the document.

2. Handbook Organization (Mapped)

[!IMPORTANT] The handbook has non-contiguous page numbering with three offset zones. Pages 4-33 do NOT exist in the printed handbook (the numbering jumps from 3 to 34).

Section	Printed Pages	PDF Pages	Offset
Units & Conversion Factors	1–3	7–9	+6
Mathematics	34–62	10–38	−24
Probability & Statistics	63–84	39–60	−24
Chemistry & Biology	85–93	61–69	−24
Materials Science	94–106	70–82	−24
Statics	107–113	83–89	−24
Dynamics	114–129	90–105	−24
Mechanics of Materials	130–142	106–118	−24
Thermodynamics	143–176	119–152	−24
Fluid Mechanics	177–203	153–179	−24
Heat Transfer	204–219	180–195	−24
Instrumentation & Controls	220–229	196–205	−24
Engineering Economics	230–237	206–213	−24
Electrical & Computer Eng.	355–416	214–275	−141

[!NOTE] Use handbook_page (printed number) when citing in LaTeX. Use pdf_index for image extraction from the PDF.

3. Usage Examples

Example: Keyword Search → LaTeX Citation

"I need the Laplace transform table."

1. Search: grep -i "laplace" handbook_map.json → finds page 56 (Laplace Transforms).
2. Show image: resources/images/p56_content.png.
3. Cite in LaTeX:

   Según el Manual de Referencia FE (pág. 56):
   \[ \mathcal{L}\{e^{at}\} = \frac{1}{s-a} \]
   

Example: Image Reference

"Show me the Interest Factor table for 10%."

1. Search: grep -i "interest" handbook_map.json → finds pages 230-237.
2. Show the relevant page image from resources/images/.

Example: Proactive Reverse Lookup

When solving an exercise about integration by parts:

1. Search: grep -i "integration.*parts\|parts.*integration" handbook_map.json.
2. Find page 47 → cite: ...usando la fórmula (Manual FE, pág. 47)...

4. Best Practices

• No Hallucinations: Only use formulas present in the Handbook. If it's not there, state it clearly.
• Page Citing: Always use the handbook_page (printed number) in citations.
• LaTeX Accuracy: Ensure exponents, subscripts, and square roots are rendered precisely.
• Visuals First: For complex diagrams (Mollier charts, psychrometric graphs, circuit diagrams), prefer using the extracted page image (pX_content.png) over attempting to recreate them in LaTeX.
• Silent Omission: If a concept is not in the Handbook (e.g., named theorems like Wald's Identity), do not add a citation. Just omit it to keep the solution clean.

5. Image Resources (Full Coverage)

• 269 entries covering printed pages 1–3 and 34–237 and 355–416 (all PDF pages 7–275).
• Each entry in resources/handbook_map.json has:
  • title: descriptive section/topic name
  • content_raw: full extracted text (searchable)
  • blocks[].type: "image" → path to resources/images/p{handbook_page}_content.png
• Use these images to provide ground-truth visual context for any query.

6. Proactive Solving Strategy

When solving exercises:

1. Analyze: Identify key concepts (e.g., "Integration by Parts", "Series Convergence", "Cramer's Rule").
2. Search: Use grep -i on handbook_map.json to find relevant pages via content_raw or title.
3. Cite: Mention the Handbook page and formula in the LaTeX solution.
4. Verify: Ensure variable names and conventions match the Handbook.
5. Omit silently: For fundamental/absent concepts, do not force a citation.