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All the information that you require to enable you to pass the mathematics
tests within your course is contained within.
Contents
Fractions
Page 2
Decimals
Page 11
Ratio
Page 17
Percentages
Page 21
BMI
Page 29
Averages
Page 30
Unit
Conversion
Page 31
Dosage
Calculations
Page 36
Web: www.hull.ac.uk/skills
Email: skills@hull.ac.uk
Fractions
A fraction is the ratio of two integers (whole numbers)
Example
The number at the top is called the numerator, the number at the bottom is called
the denominator.
has a numerator 2 and denominator 5. It is spoken two fifths.
has a numerator 3 and denominator 7. It is spoken three sevenths.
Equivalent Fractions
Here
is shaded
Here
is shaded
Here
is shaded
In all three diagrams the shaded regions represent the same quantity so that
=
is equivalent to
since
is equivalent to
since
to get
and if we use the same idea but the sides of the diagram now represent 1 unit we
can illustrate
The shaded area in the diagram
represents x =
(= after cancelling)
i)
ii)
iii)
Algebraically
(=
after cancelling)
Addition +
Type I
If two (or more) fractions have the same denominator, then we just add the
numerators
Examples
It is easy to see this is the correct method by looking at the following diagram
2/8
i)
by 4 i.e.
by 5 i.e.
we have produced two equivalent fractions whose denominators are the same.
We can now simply add:ii)
by 4 and
and
by 5 (the denominator of
) to get
by 7 (the denominator of
to get
Then
Do not forget to cancel your fractions, if possible, to produce the simplest form of
your answer.
Example
=
and
So,
which equals
, which equals
(simplest form)
Subtraction This is done in exactly the same way except instead of adding we subtract!
Example
and
so
Algebraically,
so
- =
and
This looks a little awkward, but if we look at the answer we can, very quickly,
produce it as follows
+
2nd term
A
C
+
3rd term
1st term
3
1
+ 3
7
=
+
3
12
12
12
5
2
+ 1
=
10
10
10
Division
To find a method for this operation we proceed as follows:
= 2 x 124
31
3 x 123
41
=
(simplifying)
Before working this out (using the method from multiplying fractions) look at the
expression we have obtained.
has become
i.e. the first fraction has remained the same, the divide sign has become times x,
and the second fraction has turned upside down.
This happens in general and gives us a simple method for dividing fractions.
Examples
i)
ii)
iii)
Algebraically
Summarising
i)
ii)
iii)
Mixed Numbers
If we have a, so called, mixed number to deal with, i.e. a fraction and a whole
number Examples 2 , 4 , it is best to convert the whole number to a top heavy
fraction or improper fraction, perform the operation using the above rules, and then
convert back to a mixed number if necessary.
Examples
i)
2
So
ii)
3
3
So
and 3
(cancelling)
and 2
Fractions Exercise
1. For each group of fractions, state which fractions are equivalent:
a)
1,1,2,3
2 4 4 4
6 4
b) 83 , 72 , 21
, 15
9 2 12
c) 54 , 10
, 3 , 15
5
25
36
108
b)
20
c) 64
3. For each of the following pairs of fractions, state which one is the larger:
a)
3 7
,
4 8
b)
5,6
8 7
c)
12 , 3
15 5
5
c) 2 16
b) 6 81
18
5
c) 19
3
b) 26
7
3
c) 6 12
b) 5 89
Note: Any whole number can be written as a fraction with denominator 1, ie. 3 = ,
7 = , and we just use the usual rules so 3 x
= x
1
4
15
b)
3
8
12
c) 54 23
8
9
23
b)
3
7
1
2
c)
4
5
15
2
3
b)
1
2
c)
9
5
8
6
b) 72 , 21
c) 4 , 12
6.
a) 54
b) 40
9
c) 32
2. a) 1
5
b) 13
5
c) 16
7.
1
a) 20
3
b) 16
8
c) 15
3. a) 7
8
b)
8.
a) 43
b) 76
c) 4
4. a) 47
8
b) 49
8
37
c) 16
9.
a) 16
1
b) 16
5
c) 48
5. a) 3 3
5
b) 3 75
c) 6 13
6
7
5 15
c)
12
15
10
Decimals
1.5, 2.7, 1.333, 12.6 are all decimals.
The decimal point (.) is used to distinguish the parts of the number.
Numbers to the left of the decimal point are the normal counting numbers.
Numbers to the right of the decimal point are parts of numbers.
Example
123.456. Here we have 123 and a bit. The bit is 0.456.
Place Value
The value of a number is dependent upon its position.
This is called its place value.
Thousands Tens Units Tenths Hundredths Thousandths
The table above shows how place value works for decimals.
1.01
means one unit and one hundredth.
2.5
means two units and 5 tenths.
57.9
means five tens, seven units and 9 tenths
160.004 means one hundred, 6 tens, and 4 thousandths
Decimal-Speak
It is usual to say the numbers after the decimal point as individual numbers. For
example 4.93 would be said as four point nine three not four point ninety three
Notice that where a number does not have a value for a column, a nought is used.
This preserves the value of the numbers following. In this way 0.2 is different from
0.02 in the same way that 20 is different from 2.
As with numbers in front of the decimal point, noughts not contained within a number
are not usually written
i.e. 5.1 is really 5.1000000000000000000000000 but we can just assume that the
following noughts are there.
11
12.4 x 10 = 124
231.47 x 10 = 2314.7
14 x 10 = 140
0.03 x 10 = 0.3
When we multiply a number by one hundred its digits remain the same but the
decimal point moves two places to the right.
Examples
When we multiply a number by one thousand its digits remain the same but the
decimal point moves three places to the right.
Examples
When multiplying we just move the decimal point as many places as there are
noughts to the right.
Division is the inverse process to multiplication so that when dividing by 10/100/1000
we simply reverse the above process.
Examples
12 10 = 1.2
21 100 = 0.21
274 1000 = 0.274
ie. we move the decimal one, two or three places but this time to the left.
12
Multiplying Decimals
We get a method for this by noting that 32.4 =
and 2.42 =
using
And now divide by 10 and 100, ie. move the decimal point
three places,1 place from 32.4 and 2 places from 2.42 to get
78.408
12960
648
78408
Example
214
231
42800
6420
214
49434
Example
11
3
33
21.4 x 2.31
We have 1 dp from 21.4
and 2 dp from 2.31
giving a total of 3 dp
Putting the decimal point in gives 49.434
0.03 x 1.1
We have 2 dp from 0.03
and 1 dp from 1.1
giving a total of 3 dp
Putting the decimal point in gives 0.033
13
You should always perform a rough check to make sure your answer is of the correct
order.
Example
20.42 x 3.12
2042
312
612600
20420
4084
637104
Dividing decimals
To get a method for this operation we use the idea of equivalent fractions.
(Remember we can produce a fraction equivalent to a given fraction by multiplying
(or dividing) the numerator and denominator by the same number)
5.39 1.1 = 5.39
1.1
Now multiply numerator and denominator by 10 to produce 53.9 and we can now
perform the usual long division
11
Example
11
4.9
53.9
0.0325 0.013
0.0325
0.013
14
Multiply numerator and denominator by 1000 to produce 32.5 and then perform the
long division.
13
2.5
32.5
13
Once again a rough check shows the answer is of the correct order.
As with multiplication of decimals we can abbreviate the method to:
Example
Find
0.275
0.25
25
1.1
27.5
Find
2.405
0.37
37
6.5
240.5
Once again a rough check shows the answer is of the correct order
15
Decimals Exercise
1. Express the following in terms of hundreds, tens, units, tenths etc:
a) 125.9
b) 87.03
c) 102.065
b) 1.4 10
c) 0.02 10
d) 26.8 100
e) 2.09 100
f) 3.94 100
g) 2.1 1000
h) 12.9 1000
i) 1.08 1000
b) 1.4 10
c) 0.02 10
d) 26.8 100
e) 2.09 100
f) 3.94 100
g) 2.1 1000
h) 12.9 1000
i) 1.08 1000
5. Find:
a) 2.54 0.2
b) 34.56 0.9
d) 30.72 2.4
e) 0.085 0.025
c) 18.48 1.2
a) 1.601
a) 180
f) 394
b) 50.5
b) 14
g) 2100
c) 306.091
c) 0.2
h) 12900
16
d) 2680
i) 1080
e) 209
4.
5.
a) 1.8
f) 0.0394
a) 12.7
b) 0.14
g) 0.0021
b) 38.4
c) 0.002
h) 0.0129
c) 15.4
d) 0.268
i) 0.00108
d) 12.8
e) 0.0209
e) 3.4
Ratio
Ratio describes the relationship between two quantities.
Here we have 3 grey squares and 2 white squares. We can say
that the
ratio of grey squares to white squares is 3 to 2.
This is usually written 3:2 where the colon replaces the to.
3:2 means that for every 3 items of the first type we have 2 items of the second.
Similarly the ratio of white squares to grey squares is 2:3.
In the top part of this diagram, we have 16 grey squares and 8
white squares.
The ratio of grey squares to white squares is 16:8.
However, as can be seen from the bottom part of the diagram, in each row we have
4 grey squares for each 2 white squares. This means that a ratio of 16:8 is the same
as a ratio of 4:2.
We have cancelled down the ratio by dividing both sides by a common factor (in this
case 4).
Looking at the ratio 4:2, we can see that 4 and 2 have a common factor of 2. This
means that the ratio can be cancelled down further (as we did with fractions in the
fractions section).
So for every 16 grey we have 8 white becomes:
The ratio of grey to white is 16:8
This is the same as 4:2
Which is the same as 2:1.
So the ratio of grey to white, is 2:1.
17
Using Ratios
Examples
1.
2.
18
Ratio Exercise
1. For the following diagrams, state i) the ratio of grey to white; ii) the ratio of white to
grey:
a)
b)
c)
d)
ii) 2:5
ii) 3:3 = 1:1
b)
3. a) 3:2
4. a) 15 women
5. a) i) 10:20 = 1:2
b) 20mL of A
c) i) 200mg
6. a) A. 82 14
c) A.
b) i) 1:4
d) i) 3:2
12
15
4
5
ii) 4:1
ii) 2:3
c)
b) 1:3
b) 8 men
ii) 20:5 = 4:1
40mL of B
ii) 80mL of B
B. 86 34
B.
3
15
c) 4:1
iii) 5:10 = 1:2
10mL of C
20mL of C
b) A. 19
B. 89
1
5
d) A.
20
2
5
B.
3
5
Percentages
Per cent literally means per hundred, so percentage is concerned with parts of a
hundred.
The symbol % is used to denote percentages.
Some commonly used percentages are:
100% of something means the whole amount. (Literally 100 per 100)
50% of something means that you are looking at half of it, as 50 is half of 100.
10% of something means that you are looking at a tenth of it as 10 is a tenth of 100.
We can work out percentages in many different ways. Two of the methods are
detailed below.
Method 1- Using Fractions
As percentages are closely linked to fractions, we can use this fact to help with our
calculations. We know that 50% means 50 out of a hundred, so we can write this as
50
1
100 in the same way as we know that 1out of 2 can be written as 2 .
The following table shows the fraction form of some common percentages:
Percentage Fraction
100%
50%
25%
10%
5%
1%
Simplified
Fraction
100
100
50
100
25
100
10
100
5
100
1
100
1
1
2
1
4
1
10
1
20
1
100
You may wish to perform the cancelling down yourself to check the final column.
21
The general procedure for converting a percentage (say 15%) into a fraction is:
Cancel the fraction down to its simplest form. In this case we can divide top
and bottom by the common factor, 5.
3
When the fraction is in its simplest form, we are done. 15%= 20
15
100
Cancelling the fraction down means that any subsequent calculation we perform
uses the smallest possible numbers and is thus easier to work out.
When we have converted our percentage to a fraction it is quite simple to use.
Example
Find 10% of 50.
10% is the same as
So 10% of 50 =
501
10
1
10
1
10
50
=5
Example
Find 30% of 25.
30
3
30%= 100
10
3
30% of 25 =25 10
253
10
75
10
15
2
Decimal
1
0.5
0.25
22
10%
5%
1%
0.1
0.05
0.01
The general procedure for converting a percentage (say 15%) into a decimal is:
Take the numerical value of the percentage, in this case 15, and divide it by
100.
So 15% = 0.15, 17% = 0.17, 37% = 0.37
Example
Find 10% of 50.
10100 = 0.1
so 10% of 50 = 0.150 = 5
Notice that this result is the same as the one we found earlier, using fractions.
Both methods will give the same answer for any percentage problem.
Note In calculating medicines, it is vital that your calculations are accurate.
A decimal point in the wrong place can make a large difference to a dose.
For this reason it is always a good idea to check your results, preferably by
performing the calculation again using a different method, or by performing it in
reverse.
More Examples
John weighs 120lbs and is 6ft 1in
He is in hospital and cannot leave until he has increased his weight by 25%. How
much must he weigh before he is allowed to leave?
The question asks for the total weight after the gain. To start off we need to know
how much he needs to gain.
He currently weighs 120lbs.
We need to find 25% of 120
Method 1 - Fractions
25
205 14 by cancelling
25% 100
1
4
Method 2 - Decimals
25
0.25
25% 100
0.25120=30
His total weight will be
120+30=150
150 lbs
An alternative method is to notice that his total weight will be 100% of his original
weight + 25% of his original weight. So his eventual weight will be 125% of his
original weight.
This means that we can shorten the above calculations:
125
125% 100
25
20
54 by
125
1.25
125% 100
23
cancelling
5
4 120=150
His total weight will be 150 lbs
1.25120=150
His total weight will be 150 lbs
Increasing by a percentage
Example
A patient weights 150 kg. They have a 12% weight gain. What is his new weight?
Method 1
Find out what 12% of 150 is and add that to the original weight.
12% =
= 0.12
Decreasing by a percentage
Example
The dose of a drug given to a patient is to be reduced by 15%. If the patient had
been originally prescribed 300 mg of drug A what is the new dosage in mg?
Method 1
Find out what 15% of 300 is and subtract that from the original dose
15% =
= 0.15
Method 2
Notice that if we reduce the dosage by 15%
We have 85% left
85% = 0.85
0.85 x 300 = 255
As above, the new dosage is 255 mg
Always check that your answer makes sense. A good check is to perform your
calculation in reverse, so if youve found 25% of something, multiply it by 4 and you
should have your original quantity back.
25
Percentages Exercise 1
1. Express as i) a fraction (simplify if possible), ii) a decimal
a) 20%
b) 30%
c) 45%
e) 9%
f) 12%
g) 84%
d) 95%
h) 29%
4.
5.
For extra help with Percentages consult Mathematics leaflets Fractions, Decimals
and Percentages: how to link them and Percentages available on the web at
www.hull.ac.uk/studyadvice
20
100
9
100
2. a) 3
e) 27
102 15 0.2
0.09
b)
f)
30
100
b) 3
f) 6
12
100
103 0.3
6
50
3
25
c)
g)
0.12
45
100
9
20
c) 90
g) 21
84
100
42
50
0.45
21
25
0.84
d)
h)
95
100
29
100
d) 95
h) 87
19
20 0.95
0.29
5. 181.35 kg
Percentage increase/decrease
We often need to find the percentage increase or decrease in a patients weight. To
do this we use the formula:
Change in Weight x 100
Original Weight
Example:
A patient who originally weighed 50kg loses 2 kg. What is her percentage weight
loss?
Her change in weight is 2 kg and her original weight is 50 kg.
So we have 2_ x 100 = 4
50
This represents a 4% weight loss.
A patient who originally weighed 125 kg now weighs 135 kg. What is his percentage
weight gain?
Here the change in weight is 10 kg and the original weight is 125 kg.
So that we have 10__ x 100 = 8
125
This represents an 8% weight gain.
27
Percentages Exercise 2
Find the weight gain/loss of the following patients.
a) Weight originally 80 kg, final weight
92 kg
b) Weight originally 60 kg, final weight
63 kg
c) Weight originally125 kg, final weight
120 kg
28
(24)
(29)
(33)
29
(19)
(49)
Averages
The average or the mean of a set of numbers is just the value you get after adding
the set of numbers up and dividing by how many numbers you have.
Examples
1. Find the average of 2, 6, 4, 8, 5
2+6+4+8+5 = 25
=5
The average is 5
2. If a patients oral fluid intake on successive days is 120 mL, 200 mL 140 mL
and 260 mL, what was the average intake over 4 days?
120+200+140+260 = 720
= 180
The average intake is 180 mL
Averages Exercise
1. A patients pulse was taken every 30 minutes over 2 hours
It was found to be 110, 105, 95 and 90
What is the average pulse rate over the 2 hours?
2. A patients temperature was taken every 30 minutes over 4 hours.
It was 38C, 38C, 38.5C, 39.1C, 38.4C, 38.1C, 37.4C, and 42.1C
What is the average temperature over:
a) The first two hours
b) The second two hours
Averages Exercise
1. 100
2. a) 38.4C
b) 39.0C
30
Unit Conversion
In your chosen field you are likely to need to convert weights and volumes from one
unit to another.
Metric Measurements of Weight
Name
Kilogram
Gram
Milligram
Microgram
Nanogram
Abbreviation
kg
g
mg
mcg
ng
Notes
Approx. the weight of a litre of water
One thousand grams to a kilogram
One thousand mg to the gram
One million mcg to the gram
One thousand ng to the mcg
Conversion Chart
Number of
Kilograms
1000
x 1000
Number of
Grams
1000
x 1000
Number of
Milligrams
1000
x 1000
Number of
Micrograms
1000
x 1000
Number of
Nanograms
31
Abbreviation
Notes
L
An upper case L
mL
One thousand millilitres to a
litre
Conversion Chart
Number of
Litres
1000
x 1000
Number of
Millilitres
There is also the centilitre (cL), so named as there are a hundred of them in a litre.
A single centilitre is equivalent to 10mL. Centilitres are normally used to measure
wine.
DO NOT USE A LOWER CASE L AS AN ABBREVIATION FOR LITRES. There is a
chance of misreading 3l as thirty one (31) when it should be 3L. Always use L even
in mL!
Examples
1. Convert 575 millilitres into litres.
From the diagram, we see that to convert millilitres to litres, we divide the number of
millilitres by 1000.
So we have 5751000=0.575 litres
2. Convert 2.67 litres into millilitres.
To convert litres to millilitres we multiply the number of litres by 1000.
So we have 2.671000=2670 millilitres
Estimation
Always look at the answers you produce to check they are sensible. A good way to
do this is to estimate the answer.
32
In Example 1 above we can use our knowledge of litres and millilitres to estimate the
result. We have 575 millilitres. If we had 1000 millilitres we would have a litre. Half a
litre would be 500 millilitres, so our result will be a little over half a litre.
Conversions of lbs kg, kg lbs
It is sometimes necessary to change from imperial units to metric units and vice
versa. The method is shown below:
33
c) 3.924 grams
d) 405 grams
c) 6749mg
d) 3554mg
c) 2675 micrograms
5. Convert the following: (you may find it easier to work out the answers in two
stages):
a) 1.67grams into micrograms
b) 0.85grams into micrograms
c) 125 micrograms into grams
d) 6784 micrograms into grams
e) 48.9 milligrams into nanograms f) 3084 nanograms into milligrams
6. Convert the following into litres
a) 10 millilitres
b) 132 millilitres
c) 2389 millilitres
d) 123.4 millilitres
c) 0.94 litres
d) 12.27 litres
8. A patient needs a dose of 0.5 g of medicine A. They have already had 360mg.
a) How many more mg do they need?
b) What is this value in grams?
c) A dose of 1400 mcg has been prepared. Will this be enough?
34
b) 1g=1000mg
e) 1 litre=1000Ml
c) 1g=1000000mcg
2 a) 6g=6000mg
b) 268g=26.800mg
d) 405g=405000mg
3 a) 1200mg=1.2g
d) 3554mg=3.554g
b) 650mg=0.65g
c) 3.924g=3924mg
c) 6749mg=6.749g
b) 0.85g=850000mcg
d) 6784mcg=0.006784g
f) 3084ng=0.003084mg
6 a) 10mL=0.01litres
b) 132mL=0.132litres
d) 123.4mL=0.1234 litres
c) 2389mL=2.389litres
7 a) 4litres=4000mL
b) 6.2litres=6200mL
d) 12.27litres=12270mL
c) 0.94litres=940mL
8 a) 140 milligrams
b) 0.14 grams
c) no, the correct dose would be 140000mcg
35
Dosage Calculations
Working out a dosage in either tablets or liquids is straightforward. The formula used
is always the same.
What you want x What its in
What youve got
When working with tablets what its in is always one tablet.
To calculate a dosage you must write down 3 numbers.
They are:
What you want this is what is prescribed/ordered/required/needed by the patient.
What you have got this is what is available.
What its in this is either 1 when we are working with tablets or in mL when working
with liquids.
The order in which you write these down is not difficult to remember, if you think The
patient always comes first ie. What you want.
Note: In order to use this formula, the units of What you want and What youve
got must be the same, ie. both in mcg, or both in mg, or both in g.
Examples
1. A patient needs 500mg of drug X per day. X is available in 125mg tablets. How
many tablets per day does he need to take?
What you want = 500mg
What youve got = 125mg
What it is in = one tablet
}
}
So our calculation is
x1=4
500
250
50 =100
250
400
200 = 125
Both in g
250mg = 0.25g
Our calculation is
250 x 10 = 2.5
1000
We need 2.5mL
Our calculation is
0.25 x 10 = 2.5
1
We need 2.5mL
= 0.25g
=1g
=10mL
2500
20
=125
38
Examples
1. We need to make up 1 litre of a 5% solution of A. We have stock solution of 10%.
How much of the stock solution do we need? How much water do we need?
We can adapt the formula for liquid medicines here:
What we want What we want it to be in
What weve got
We want a 5% solution. This is the same as
5
100
or 201 .
10
100
or
1
10
1000
2. You have a 20% V/V solution of drug F. The patient requires 30mL of the drug.
How much of the solution is required?
20% V/V means that for every 100mL of solution we have 20mL of drug F.
Using our formula:
What you want What its in
What youve got
This becomes
30
20
100=150
39
5% W/V means that for every 100mL of solution, there are 5 grams of G.
Using the formula gives us
15
5 100=300
300mL of solution are required.
Note In very rare cases, a drug may be labelled with a ratio. If this is the case, refer
to the Drug Information Sheet for the specific medication in order to be completely
sure how the solution is made up.
Dosage Calculations Exercise 1
1. How many 30mg tablets of drug B are required to produce a dosage of:
a) 60mg
b) 120mg
c) 15mg
d) 75mg
2. Medicine A is available in a solution of 10mg per 50mL. How many mL are needed
to produce a dose of:
a) 30mg
b) 5mg
c) 200mg
d) 85mg
3. Medicine C is available in a solution of 15 micrograms per 100mL. How many mL
are needed to produce a dose of:
a)150mcg
b) 45mcg
c)30mcg
d) 75mcg
4. Medicine D comes in 20mg tablets. How many tablets are required in each dose
for the following situations:
a) total dosage 120mg , 3 doses b) total dosage 60mg, 2 doses
c) total dosage 100mg, 5 doses d) total dosage 30mg, 3 doses
5. At what rate per hour should the following infusions be set?
a) Total dosage 300mg, solution of 25mg per 100mL, over 12 hours
b) Total dosage 750mg, solution of 10mg per 30mL, over 20 hours
c) Total dosage 450mg, solution of 90mg per 100mL, over 10 hours
6. Drug B comes in a 20% V/V stock solution.
i) How much of the solution is needed to provide:
a) 50mL of B
b) 10mL of B
c) 200mL of B
ii) How would you make up the following solutions from the stock solution?
a) Strength 20% volume 1 litre
b) Strength 10% volume 750mL
iii) What strength are the following solutions?
a) Volume 1 litre, made up of 600mL stock solution, 400mL water
b) Volume 600mL, made up of 300mL stock solution, 300mL water
7. Drug C comes in a 15% W/V stock solution.
i) How much of the solution is needed to provide:
40
a) 30g of C
b) 22.5g of C
c) 90g of C
ii) How would you make up the following solutions from the stock solution?
a) Strength 5% volume 900mL
b) Strength 10% volume 750mL
iii) How many grams of C are in the following solutions?
a) Volume 1 litre, made up of 400mL stock solution, 600mL water
b) Volume 800mL, made up of 450mL stock solution, 350mL water
Dosage Calculations Exercise 1 Answers
1. a) 2 tablets
b) 4 tablets
c)
1
2
tablet
d)
2 12 tablets
2. a) 150mL
b) 25mL
c) 1000mL
d) 425mL
3. a) 1000mL
b) 300mL
c) 200mL
d) 500mL
4. a) 2 tablets
b) 1 12 tablets
c) 1 tablet
d)
1
2
tablet
6. i) a) 250mL
b) 50mL
ii) a) 1 litre stock, no water
iii) a) 600mL stock contains 120mL B
120
So 120mL in 1000mL= 1000
=12%
c) 1 litre
b) 375mL stock, 375mL water
b) 300mL stock contains 60mL B
60
So 60mL in 600mL= 600
=10%
7. i) a) 200mL
b) 150mL
ii) a) 300mL stock, 600mL water
iii) a) 60g
b) 67.5g
c) 600mL
b) 500mL stock, 250mL water
3 mg
7 mg
8 mg
10mg
11 mg
Tablets required
Number of tablets
41
14 mg
Number of
tablets
Tablets
required
Number of
tablets
1 mg & 2
mg
2 mg & 5
mg
1 mg, 2
mg & 5
mg
5 mg & 5
mg
5 mg, 5
mg & 1
mg
5 mg, 5
mg, 2 mg
& 2 mg
b 3 mL
c 5 mL of the solution?
b 5 mL
c 7 mL of the solution?
b 5 mL
c 10 mL of this solution?
b 30 mL
c 40 mL of the suspension?
42
b 25 mL
c 40 mL of the solution?
b 20 mL
c 30 mL of the suspension?
b 30 mL
c 50 mL of the syrup?
8. A mixture contains penicillin 250 mg/5 mL. How many milligrams of penicillin are
in
a 15 mL
b 25 mL
c 35 mL of the mixture?
a)
20
b)
30
c)
50
a)
b)
10
c)
14
a)
800
b)
200
c)
400
a)
500
b)
750
c) 1000
a)
40
b)
100
c)
a)
500
b)
1000
a)
50
b)
150
a)
750
b)
1250
160
c) 1500
c)
250
c) 1750
43
7. Ordered: fluoxetine 30 mg
9. Ordered: chlorpromazine 35 mg
20
5.
9.
2.
6.
25
10.
24
3. 2.5
7. 7.5
11.
32
4. 7.5
8.
20
44
2. Ordered: codeine 15 mg, orally. Stock on hand: codeine tablets, 30 mg. How
many tablets should the patient take?
4. How many 30 mg tablets of codeine are needed for a dose of 0.06 gram?
10. Digoxin 125 mcg is ordered. Tablets available are 0.25 mg. How many
tablets should be given?
Check that you have used the same unit of weight throughout a calculation.
Are both weights in milligrams (mg)? Or are both weights in micrograms
(mcg)?
45
5.
2.
6.
3.
7.
4.
8.
9.
or 0.5
1
or 0.5
46
10.
or 0.5
Stock ampoule
1. Morphine
12 mg
15 mg/mL
2. Calciparine
7000 units
25 000 units in 1 mL
3. Benzylpenicillin
1500 mg
1.2 g in 10 mL
4. Heparin
3000 units
5000 units/mL
5. Phenobarbitone
70 mg
200 mg/mL
6. Pethidine
80 mg
100 mg/2 mL
7. Buscopan
0.24 mg
0.4 mg/2mL
8. Digoxin
200 mcg
500 mcg in 2 mL
9. Furosemide (frusemide)
150 mg
250 mg in 5 mL
10. Ondansetron
5 mg
4 mg in 2 mL
11. Capreomycin
800 mg
1 g in 5 mL
12. Tramadol
120 mg
100 mg in 2 mL
13. Gentamicin
70 mg
80 mg in 2 mL
14. Vancomycin
800 mg
1 g in 5 mL
15. Morphine
7.5 mg
10 mg in 1 mL
16. Ceftriaxone
1250 mg
1 g/3 mL
17. Buscopan
25 mg
20 mg in 1 mL
18. Dexamethasone
3 mg
4 mg/mL
19. Vancomycin
1.2 g
1000 mg/5 mL
20. Naloxone
0.5 mg
0.4 mg/mL
47
0.8
6.
1.6
11.
16.
3.8
2.
0.28
7.
1.2
12.
2.4
17.
1.3
3.
12.5
8.
0.8
13.
1.8
18.
0.75
4.
0.6
9.
14.
19.
5.
0.35
10.
2.5
15.
0.75
20.
1.3
48
4. 1.6
7. 0.6
2. 1.5
5. 4
8. 0.6
3. 2.5
6. 1.5
49
4. 2.5
7. 1.5
2. 1.4
5. 1.3
8. 3.0
3. 0.9
6. 1.7
50
Suggested Reading
Drug Calculations for Nurses-A Step By Step Approach
Robert Lapham and Heather Agar
ISBN 0-340-60479-4
Nursing Calculations Fifth Edition
J.D. Gatford and R.E.Anderson
ISBN 0-443-05966-7
Disclaimer
Please note that the author of this document has no nursing or medical experience.
The topics in this leaflet are dealt with in a mathematical context rather than a
medical one.