For those without the book the question is like this:
What is the dH for the following reaction under standard conditions?
CH4(g) + 2O2(g) --> CO2(g) + 2H2O (l)
I have the 2005 edition and I think it's have the same example. I think they are using standard values from some unmentioned table. I remember that I had to look this sort of stuff up when I needed it in college. I don't believe you can figure out the enthalpy of formation for the substances in the equation without outside information like a table of enthalpies or some other equations that you could balance (except for O2, that's zero b/c it's a pure substance in it's natural state). Please someone correct me if I'm wrong about this.
It's especially confusing because they have the enthalpy of formation for CO2 as -393kJ/mol in the problem and they have it as -394kJ/mol on the preceding page. I looked up that enthalpy on wikipedia and they have it as -393.5 kJ/mol.
