Health Calculations Practice Test
Basic Math Review
A patient is prescribed 500 mg of a medication. The available tablets are 250 mg each. How many tablets should be administered?
a) 1 tablet
b) 2 tablets
c) 3 tablets
d) 4 tablets
Answer: b) 2 tablets
Explanation: 500 mg÷250 mg/tablet=2 tablets500 \text{ mg} \div 250 \text{ mg/tablet} = 2 \text{
tablets}500 mg÷250 mg/tablet=2 tablets.
A physician orders 0.25 L of IV fluid. How many milliliters is this?
a) 25 mL
b) 100 mL
c) 250 mL
d) 500 mL
Answer: c) 250 mL
Explanation: 1 L=1000 mL1 \text{ L} = 1000 \text{ mL}1 L=1000 mL, so 0.25×1000=250 mL0.25 \times 1000 = 250 \text{
mL}0.25×1000=250 mL.
Convert 3.5 grams to milligrams.
a) 35 mg
b) 350 mg
c) 3,500 mg
d) 35,000 mg
,Answer: c) 3,500 mg
Explanation: 1 g=1000 mg1 \text{ g} = 1000 \text{ mg}1 g=1000 mg, so 3.5×1000=3500 mg3.5 \times 1000 = 3500 \text{
mg}3.5×1000=3500 mg.
The doctor orders 1.2 grams of medication. How many milligrams should be administered?
a) 120 mg
b) 1,200 mg
c) 12,000 mg
d) 120,000 mg
Answer: b) 1,200 mg
Explanation: 1 g=1000 mg1 \text{ g} = 1000 \text{ mg}1 g=1000 mg, so 1.2×1000=1200 mg1.2 \times 1000 = 1200 \text{
mg}1.2×1000=1200 mg.
Convert 750 mL to liters.
a) 0.75 L
b) 7.5 L
c) 75 L
d) 0.0075 L
Answer: a) 0.75 L
Explanation: 1 L=1000 mL1 \text{ L} = 1000 \text{ mL}1 L=1000 mL, so 750÷1000=0.75 L750 \div 1000 = 0.75 \text{
L}750÷1000=0.75 L.
Dosage Calculations
A child weighs 44 pounds. Convert this to kilograms.
a) 20 kg
b) 44 kg
c) 22 kg
d) 88 kg
, Answer: a) 20 kg
Explanation: 1 kg=2.2 lbs1 \text{ kg} = 2.2 \text{ lbs}1 kg=2.2 lbs, so 44÷2.2=20 kg44 \div 2.2 = 20 \text{ kg}44÷2.2=20 kg.
A medication is prescribed at 4 mg/kg for a patient weighing 50 kg. How many mg should be given?
a) 100 mg
b) 150 mg
c) 200 mg
d) 250 mg
Answer: c) 200 mg
Explanation: 4×50=200 mg4 \times 50 = 200 \text{ mg}4×50=200 mg.
A nurse needs to administer 1.5 mg/kg of a drug to a patient weighing 80 kg. What is the total dose?
a) 120 mg
b) 100 mg
c) 80 mg
d) 150 mg
Answer: d) 150 mg
Explanation: 1.5×80=120 mg1.5 \times 80 = 120 \text{ mg}1.5×80=120 mg.
IV Flow Rate Calculations
A physician orders 1000 mL of IV fluid to be given over 8 hours. What is the flow rate in mL per hour?
a) 80 mL/hr
b) 100 mL/hr
c) 125 mL/hr
d) 150 mL/hr
Answer: c) 125 mL/hr
Explanation: 1000 mL÷8 hr=125 mL/hr1000 \text{ mL} \div 8 \text{ hr} = 125 \text{ mL/hr}1000 mL÷8 hr=125 mL/hr.
Basic Math Review
A patient is prescribed 500 mg of a medication. The available tablets are 250 mg each. How many tablets should be administered?
a) 1 tablet
b) 2 tablets
c) 3 tablets
d) 4 tablets
Answer: b) 2 tablets
Explanation: 500 mg÷250 mg/tablet=2 tablets500 \text{ mg} \div 250 \text{ mg/tablet} = 2 \text{
tablets}500 mg÷250 mg/tablet=2 tablets.
A physician orders 0.25 L of IV fluid. How many milliliters is this?
a) 25 mL
b) 100 mL
c) 250 mL
d) 500 mL
Answer: c) 250 mL
Explanation: 1 L=1000 mL1 \text{ L} = 1000 \text{ mL}1 L=1000 mL, so 0.25×1000=250 mL0.25 \times 1000 = 250 \text{
mL}0.25×1000=250 mL.
Convert 3.5 grams to milligrams.
a) 35 mg
b) 350 mg
c) 3,500 mg
d) 35,000 mg
,Answer: c) 3,500 mg
Explanation: 1 g=1000 mg1 \text{ g} = 1000 \text{ mg}1 g=1000 mg, so 3.5×1000=3500 mg3.5 \times 1000 = 3500 \text{
mg}3.5×1000=3500 mg.
The doctor orders 1.2 grams of medication. How many milligrams should be administered?
a) 120 mg
b) 1,200 mg
c) 12,000 mg
d) 120,000 mg
Answer: b) 1,200 mg
Explanation: 1 g=1000 mg1 \text{ g} = 1000 \text{ mg}1 g=1000 mg, so 1.2×1000=1200 mg1.2 \times 1000 = 1200 \text{
mg}1.2×1000=1200 mg.
Convert 750 mL to liters.
a) 0.75 L
b) 7.5 L
c) 75 L
d) 0.0075 L
Answer: a) 0.75 L
Explanation: 1 L=1000 mL1 \text{ L} = 1000 \text{ mL}1 L=1000 mL, so 750÷1000=0.75 L750 \div 1000 = 0.75 \text{
L}750÷1000=0.75 L.
Dosage Calculations
A child weighs 44 pounds. Convert this to kilograms.
a) 20 kg
b) 44 kg
c) 22 kg
d) 88 kg
, Answer: a) 20 kg
Explanation: 1 kg=2.2 lbs1 \text{ kg} = 2.2 \text{ lbs}1 kg=2.2 lbs, so 44÷2.2=20 kg44 \div 2.2 = 20 \text{ kg}44÷2.2=20 kg.
A medication is prescribed at 4 mg/kg for a patient weighing 50 kg. How many mg should be given?
a) 100 mg
b) 150 mg
c) 200 mg
d) 250 mg
Answer: c) 200 mg
Explanation: 4×50=200 mg4 \times 50 = 200 \text{ mg}4×50=200 mg.
A nurse needs to administer 1.5 mg/kg of a drug to a patient weighing 80 kg. What is the total dose?
a) 120 mg
b) 100 mg
c) 80 mg
d) 150 mg
Answer: d) 150 mg
Explanation: 1.5×80=120 mg1.5 \times 80 = 120 \text{ mg}1.5×80=120 mg.
IV Flow Rate Calculations
A physician orders 1000 mL of IV fluid to be given over 8 hours. What is the flow rate in mL per hour?
a) 80 mL/hr
b) 100 mL/hr
c) 125 mL/hr
d) 150 mL/hr
Answer: c) 125 mL/hr
Explanation: 1000 mL÷8 hr=125 mL/hr1000 \text{ mL} \div 8 \text{ hr} = 125 \text{ mL/hr}1000 mL÷8 hr=125 mL/hr.
