The micellization behavior of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) is investigated in the absence and presence of poly(ethylene oxide) employing surface tension, light scattering, and viscosity and conductance measurement. It has been concluded that the critical micellization concentration (CMC) of CTAB in the presence of polymer increases with the increase in polymer concentration. The three ranges of interaction among the polymer and CTAB with respect to concentration of CTAB ire identified at surface tension plot and noted to depend upon polymer concentration. The effect of temperature over these interactions and CMC of CTAB has been investigated. It is observed that the CMC, Delta H, and flow activation energy of the system increases with the increase in polymer coocentration whereas CMC of CTAB decreases with the temperature. R-H and R-g/R-H values determined by light scattering also indicate such type of behavior. The CMC values have also been obtained by viscosity and conductivity measurement. The results and conclusions drawn through all the techniques were consistent New mehodology has also been introduced to interpret the data obtained by surface tension, viscosity, and conductance measurement, and get information about the point of interaction and saturation of polymer with surfactant, which was noted to be very useful and informative, (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 116: 2133-2142, 2010.