MATH FOR MEDS (with Answer Keys)
FRACTIONS
EXERCISE #1: FRACTIONS & DECIMAL NUMBERS
1. A patient drinks 2¼ ounces of juice, 1/3 ounce of coffee, 1½ ounces clear soup.
What is the total number of ounces consumed by the patient?
2. How many hours are in 4¼ days?
3. Your patient gained 5¼ lb. over 3 weeks. How many lb. per week did the patient
gain?
4. A client must take 1½ teaspoons of liquid medication twice a day. How many
teaspoons of medication have been taken after 7 days? The patient forgets to take
the medication 1 day. How many teaspoons of medication has the patient actually
taken?
5. You have been asked to identify the total amount of bandaging materials stored in
the clean utility room including the boxes that contain a portion of their amounts. You
find 31 2/7 boxes of abdominal bandaging, 2 3/4 boxes of non-stick dressing material,
7 5/6 boxes of wrapping bandages and, 15 3/8 boxes of gauze bandaging. How many
boxes in total do you find?
6. There are 4 boxes of insulin in the refrigerator on your unit plus a box ¾ full. The
pharmacist removes 11/2 boxes of insulin as their expiry date has passed. You
remove one more vial which is 1/4 of a box. How many boxes (including portions of a
box) are remaining in the refrigerator?
7. The staffing manager is calculating the number of staff required to work next
weekend. The criteria that she must include (per client) are: 1/4 of an hour for
dressing change, 3/4 of an hour for patient assessment and hygienic care, 1/3 of an
hour for travel time (one way to or from the client’s home) and 1/6 of an hour for an
injection. There will be 9 patients requiring care: 4 will require a dressing change; 2
require an injection and a dressing change; 3 patients will require an assessment
and hygienic care. Calculate the total number of staffing hours for this assignment.
If one part- time nurse on average can work 51/2 hours, how many nurses
approximately will be necessary for this assignment to be completed?
, Answer Keys
EXERCISE #1: FRACTIONS & DECIMAL NUMBERS
1. 4 1/12 oz
2. 102 Hours
3. 1 ¾ lb
4. 21 tsp
18 tsp
5. 31 2/7 + 2 ¾ + 7 5/6 + 15 3/8 = 57 41/168 = 58 Boxes
6. 4 ¾ – 1 ½ – ¼ = 3 Boxes
7. 6 (1/4) + 2 (1/6) + 3 (3/4) + 9 (1/3) = 7 1/12
7 1/12 – 5 ½ = 1 7/12 = 2 Nurses
FRACTIONS
EXERCISE #1: FRACTIONS & DECIMAL NUMBERS
1. A patient drinks 2¼ ounces of juice, 1/3 ounce of coffee, 1½ ounces clear soup.
What is the total number of ounces consumed by the patient?
2. How many hours are in 4¼ days?
3. Your patient gained 5¼ lb. over 3 weeks. How many lb. per week did the patient
gain?
4. A client must take 1½ teaspoons of liquid medication twice a day. How many
teaspoons of medication have been taken after 7 days? The patient forgets to take
the medication 1 day. How many teaspoons of medication has the patient actually
taken?
5. You have been asked to identify the total amount of bandaging materials stored in
the clean utility room including the boxes that contain a portion of their amounts. You
find 31 2/7 boxes of abdominal bandaging, 2 3/4 boxes of non-stick dressing material,
7 5/6 boxes of wrapping bandages and, 15 3/8 boxes of gauze bandaging. How many
boxes in total do you find?
6. There are 4 boxes of insulin in the refrigerator on your unit plus a box ¾ full. The
pharmacist removes 11/2 boxes of insulin as their expiry date has passed. You
remove one more vial which is 1/4 of a box. How many boxes (including portions of a
box) are remaining in the refrigerator?
7. The staffing manager is calculating the number of staff required to work next
weekend. The criteria that she must include (per client) are: 1/4 of an hour for
dressing change, 3/4 of an hour for patient assessment and hygienic care, 1/3 of an
hour for travel time (one way to or from the client’s home) and 1/6 of an hour for an
injection. There will be 9 patients requiring care: 4 will require a dressing change; 2
require an injection and a dressing change; 3 patients will require an assessment
and hygienic care. Calculate the total number of staffing hours for this assignment.
If one part- time nurse on average can work 51/2 hours, how many nurses
approximately will be necessary for this assignment to be completed?
, Answer Keys
EXERCISE #1: FRACTIONS & DECIMAL NUMBERS
1. 4 1/12 oz
2. 102 Hours
3. 1 ¾ lb
4. 21 tsp
18 tsp
5. 31 2/7 + 2 ¾ + 7 5/6 + 15 3/8 = 57 41/168 = 58 Boxes
6. 4 ¾ – 1 ½ – ¼ = 3 Boxes
7. 6 (1/4) + 2 (1/6) + 3 (3/4) + 9 (1/3) = 7 1/12
7 1/12 – 5 ½ = 1 7/12 = 2 Nurses
