Introduction to Math for Technicians
● It’s necessary to understand fundamental mathematical skills that can be applied to your
everyday job duties as a central sterile processing technician.
● Necessary to perform basic calculations such as:
○ Converting temperatures.
○ Ensuring that appropriate times have been met during the sterilization process.
○ Performing statistical reports as a leader, supervisor, or manager in the central
services department.
● Example: If an instrument tray has to run with steam exposure at a minimum of 10
minutes at 270 degrees Fahrenheit, and the sterilizer printout reads that the items
sterilized were exposed to steam at 270 degrees Fahrenheit from 4:32 P.M. to 4:39 P.M.,
can you verify without having basic mathematical skills that the minimum of 10 minutes
was achieved? No. The item was exposed to steam at the specified temperature for only
7 minutes, which means the item sterilized didn’t meet the minimum criteria and can’t be
used on patients.
Temperature
Converting Temperatures
● The Fahrenheit scale uses two reference points, the freezing and boiling points of water,
and is divided into 180 equal intervals called degrees. It establishes the freezing point of
water at 32 F and the boiling point at 212 F.
● The Celsius scale uses these temperatures as fixed points on the scale. It measures the
freezing point of water at 0 C and the boiling point of water at 100 C.
■ To convert Fahrenheit to Celsius: (F-32)/1.8=C
■ To convert Celsius to Fahrenheit: (Cx1.8)+32=F
● Example: If the known temperature is 70 F, you can calculate Celsius as follows:
○ (70-32)=38
○ 38/1.8=21.1
○ So, 70 F is about 21.11 C.
● Alternately: If the known temperature is 30 C, you can calculate Fahrenheit as follows:
○ (30x1.8)=54
○ 54+32=86
○ So, 30 C is about 86 F.
Other Units of Conversion
● 1 gallon = 16 cups = 8 pints = 4 quarts
● 1 quart = 4 cups = 2 pints
● 1 pint = 2 cups
● 1 cup = 8 fluid ounces
● It’s necessary to understand fundamental mathematical skills that can be applied to your
everyday job duties as a central sterile processing technician.
● Necessary to perform basic calculations such as:
○ Converting temperatures.
○ Ensuring that appropriate times have been met during the sterilization process.
○ Performing statistical reports as a leader, supervisor, or manager in the central
services department.
● Example: If an instrument tray has to run with steam exposure at a minimum of 10
minutes at 270 degrees Fahrenheit, and the sterilizer printout reads that the items
sterilized were exposed to steam at 270 degrees Fahrenheit from 4:32 P.M. to 4:39 P.M.,
can you verify without having basic mathematical skills that the minimum of 10 minutes
was achieved? No. The item was exposed to steam at the specified temperature for only
7 minutes, which means the item sterilized didn’t meet the minimum criteria and can’t be
used on patients.
Temperature
Converting Temperatures
● The Fahrenheit scale uses two reference points, the freezing and boiling points of water,
and is divided into 180 equal intervals called degrees. It establishes the freezing point of
water at 32 F and the boiling point at 212 F.
● The Celsius scale uses these temperatures as fixed points on the scale. It measures the
freezing point of water at 0 C and the boiling point of water at 100 C.
■ To convert Fahrenheit to Celsius: (F-32)/1.8=C
■ To convert Celsius to Fahrenheit: (Cx1.8)+32=F
● Example: If the known temperature is 70 F, you can calculate Celsius as follows:
○ (70-32)=38
○ 38/1.8=21.1
○ So, 70 F is about 21.11 C.
● Alternately: If the known temperature is 30 C, you can calculate Fahrenheit as follows:
○ (30x1.8)=54
○ 54+32=86
○ So, 30 C is about 86 F.
Other Units of Conversion
● 1 gallon = 16 cups = 8 pints = 4 quarts
● 1 quart = 4 cups = 2 pints
● 1 pint = 2 cups
● 1 cup = 8 fluid ounces
