Drug Calculation Practice Questions - Answer Key

This document provides step-by-step solutions to the 30 practice questions compiled

earlier (10 mixed, 10 with fractions given, 10 with percentages given).

Part 1: Mixed Fractions & Percentages (10 Questions) - Solutions

1. Doctor orders 75 mg aspirin. Pharmacy provides 300 mg tablets. How many fractions of a
tablet should you give per dose?

Step 1: Fraction = 75 mg ÷ 300 mg = 75/300 = 1/4.

Answer: 1/4 tablet.

2. The physician orders 2.5 mg lorazepam. The vial contains 10 mg/2 mL. How many mL
should be drawn up per dose?

Step 1: Find concentration: 10 mg / 2 mL = 5 mg/mL.

Step 2: Volume = Desired ÷ Concentration = 2.5 mg ÷ 5 mg/mL = 0.5 mL.
Answer: 0.5 mL.

3. A child needs 80 mg amoxicillin per dose, stock 100 mg/5 mL. The child only takes 80%
of it. How many mg did the child actually receive?

Step 1: Ordered dose = 80 mg.

Step 2: Child takes 80% → 0.80 × 80 mg = 64 mg.
Answer: 64 mg.

4. Order requires 500 mL IV fluid over 4 hours. After 3 hours, only 300 mL has infused.
What percentage of the total order has been infused so far?

Step 1: Percentage = (Amount infused ÷ Total ordered) × 100 = (300 ÷ 500) × 100 = 0.6 ×
100 = 60%.
Answer: 60%.

5. Order: 15 mg/kg paracetamol for a child weighing 22 kg. Liquid form is 120 mg/5 mL.
How many mL should be given?

Step 1: Total dose = 15 mg/kg × 22 kg = 330 mg.

Step 2: Concentration = 120 mg / 5 mL = 24 mg/mL.
Step 3: Volume = 330 mg ÷ 24 mg/mL = 13.75 mL.
Answer: 13.75 mL.

6. A vial of insulin contains 100 units. The patient has already used 45 units. What
percentage of the vial remains?
Step 1: Units remaining = 100 − 45 = 55 units.
Step 2: Percentage remaining = (55 ÷ 100) × 100 = 55%.
Answer: 55% (55 units remain).

7. Doctor orders 1000 mL NS over 8 hours using a 15 gtt/mL set. How many gtt/min will
you regulate the IV to?

Step 1: Total drops = Volume × drop factor = 1000 mL × 15 gtt/mL = 15,000 gtt.
Step 2: Total minutes = 8 hr × 60 = 480 min.
Step 3: gtt/min = 15,000 ÷ 480 = 31.25 → round to nearest whole drop = 31 gtt/min.
Answer: 31 gtt/min.

8. You have a vial labeled 10% solution of KCl (10 g/100 mL). The doctor orders 5 g KCl.
How many mL will you prepare?

Step 1: 10% = 10 g per 100 mL → 0.1 g per 1 mL = 0.1 g/mL.

Step 2: Volume = 5 g ÷ 0.1 g/mL = 50 mL.
Answer: 50 mL.

9. A patient has 20 tablets of furosemide left. If the dose was reduced by 25%, how many
tablets would remain available for use?

Interpretation used: 'Reduced by 25%' meaning 25% fewer tablets used → remaining = 20 −
(25% of 20).
Step 1: 25% of 20 = 0.25 × 20 = 5.
Step 2: Remaining = 20 − 5 = 15 tablets.
Answer: 15 tablets.

10. The prescribed dose of ceftriaxone is 1.5 g, but the available vial contains 2 g powder.
What fraction of the vial will be used?

Step 1: Fraction = 1.5 g ÷ 2 g = 1.5/2 = 3/4.

Answer: 3/4 of the vial.

Part 2: Situational Questions with Fractions (10 Questions) - Solutions

1. The order is ½ tablet of metoprolol (50 mg tablet) twice a day. How many mg is the
patient receiving per dose?

Step 1: 1/2 of 50 mg = 0.5 × 50 = 25 mg.

Answer: 25 mg per dose.

2. A doctor orders ¾ teaspoon of acetaminophen syrup. The concentration is 120 mg/5 mL.
How many mg does the patient get? (1 tsp = 5 mL).

Step 1: 1 tsp = 5 mL → 3/4 tsp = 0.75 × 5 mL = 3.75 mL.

Step 2: Concentration = 120 mg / 5 mL = 24 mg/mL.
Step 3: Dose = 3.75 mL × 24 mg/mL = 90 mg.
Answer: 90 mg.

3. A child is prescribed ⅔ of the adult dose of amoxicillin. The adult dose is 600 mg. How
many mg will the child receive?

Step 1: 2/3 × 600 mg = (2 × 600) ÷ 3 = 1200 ÷ 3 = 400 mg.

Answer: 400 mg.

4. An order is to give ½ ampule of furosemide. The ampule contains 20 mg/2 mL. How
many mg will be administered?

Step 1: Half ampule = half the volume = 1 mL.

Step 2: Concentration = 20 mg / 2 mL = 10 mg/mL.
Step 3: Dose = 1 mL × 10 mg/mL = 10 mg.
Answer: 10 mg.

5. The doctor orders an infusion of ¾ liter of NS over 6 hours. How many mL per hour
should the IV be set to run?

Step 1: 3/4 L = 0.75 × 1000 mL = 750 mL.

Step 2: Rate = 750 mL ÷ 6 hr = 125 mL/hr.
Answer: 125 mL/hr.

6. The order is for ½ of the usual morning dose of insulin. The usual dose is 24 units. How
many units should be given?

Step 1: 1/2 × 24 units = 12 units.

Answer: 12 units.

7. A patient is prescribed ⅖ of the maximum dose of a drug. The maximum safe dose is 200
mg. How many mg should be administered?

Step 1: 2/5 × 200 mg = (2 × 200) ÷ 5 = 400 ÷ 5 = 80 mg.

Answer: 80 mg.

8. The doctor orders ¾ of a 250 mg capsule for a child. How many mg will the child get?

Step 1: 3/4 × 250 mg = (3 × 250) ÷ 4 = 750 ÷ 4 = 187.5 mg.

Answer: 187.5 mg.

9. An infusion of ⅔ L D5W must be given over 4 hours. How many mL/hr will be infused?

Step 1: 2/3 L = (2/3) × 1000 mL = 666.666... mL.

Step 2: Rate = 666.666... ÷ 4 = 166.666... mL/hr.
Answer: 166.67 mL/hr (rounded to 2 decimals).
10. You are to give ½ of a 100 mL vial of IV solution containing 1 g of ceftriaxone. How many
mg will be administered?

Step 1: Half the vial = 50 mL. The vial contains 1 g = 1000 mg in 100 mL → concentration =
10 mg/mL.
Step 2: Dose = 50 mL × 10 mg/mL = 500 mg.
Answer: 500 mg.

Part 3: Situational Questions with Percentages (10 Questions) - Solutions

1. A patient is prescribed 75% of the normal digoxin dose. The normal dose is 0.5 mg. How
many mg should be given?

Step 1: 75% = 0.75. Dose = 0.75 × 0.5 mg = 0.375 mg.

Answer: 0.375 mg.

2. A vial contains 100 units of insulin. If 30% has already been used, how many units are
left?

Step 1: Used = 30% of 100 = 0.30 × 100 = 30 units.

Step 2: Remaining = 100 − 30 = 70 units.
Answer: 70 units.

3. The physician orders 10 mL of a 20% glucose solution. How many grams of glucose will
the patient receive?

Step 1: 20% = 20 g per 100 mL → 0.20 g per 1 mL.

Step 2: Amount = 10 mL × 0.20 g/mL = 2.0 g.
Answer: 2 grams of glucose.

4. A 1000 mL bag of IV fluid is started. After 3 hours, 40% of the solution has been infused.
How many mL has the patient received?

Step 1: 40% of 1000 mL = 0.40 × 1000 = 400 mL.

Answer: 400 mL.

5. A child is prescribed 60% of the adult dose of azithromycin. If the adult dose is 500 mg,
how many mg will the child get?

Step 1: 60% = 0.60. Dose = 0.60 × 500 mg = 300 mg.

Answer: 300 mg.

6. A patient is told to take 50% of a 20 mg prednisone tablet. How many mg is the dose?

Step 1: 50% = 0.5. Dose = 0.5 × 20 mg = 10 mg.

Answer: 10 mg.

7. The doctor orders an infusion of 80% of 1 L NS over 8 hours. What is the infusion rate in
mL/hr?
Step 1: 80% of 1 L = 0.80 × 1000 mL = 800 mL.
Step 2: Rate = 800 mL ÷ 8 hr = 100 mL/hr.
Answer: 100 mL/hr.

8. A child receives 25% of an adult dose of diphenhydramine. The adult dose is 50 mg. How
many mg will the child receive?

Step 1: 25% = 0.25. Dose = 0.25 × 50 mg = 12.5 mg.

Answer: 12.5 mg.

9. A physician increases a patient’s antibiotic dose by 20%. The original dose was 200 mg.
What is the new dose?

Step 1: 20% of 200 = 0.20 × 200 = 40 mg.

Step 2: New dose = 200 + 40 = 240 mg.
(Or multiply: 200 × 1.20 = 240 mg.)
Answer: 240 mg.

10. A patient starts with 250 mL IV fluid. If 65% has infused, how many mL remain in the
bag?

Step 1: Infused = 65% of 250 mL = 0.65 × 250 = 162.5 mL.

Step 2: Remaining = 250 − 162.5 = 87.5 mL.
Answer: 87.5 mL remain.