4PY019 Answers - WB 1:1 Unit conversions and basic numeracy

ANSWERS
COMMON UNITS OF MEASUREMENT in PHARMACEUTICAL CALCULATIONS
EXERCISE 1
1. Hyoscine 200 micrograms = 0.2 mg

2. Paracetamol 0.12 g = 120 mg

3. Chloral betaine 707 mg = 707, 000 micrograms

4. Alfacalcidol 0.5 micrograms = 500 nanograms

5. Levothyroxine 25 micrograms = 0.025 mg

6. Prednisolone 10 mg = 0.01 g

7. Amoxicillin 250 mg = 250,000 micrograms

8. Ethinylestradiol 30 micrograms = 0.00003 g

9. Aspirin 150 mg = 0.15 grams

10. Tirofiban 100 nanograms = 0.0001 mg

11. Lansoprazole 15 mg = 0.015 g

12. Budesonide 9 mg = 9000 micrograms

13. Glucose 5%w/v, 0.25 L = 250 mL (the 5% /

w
v is not relevant to this calculation)

14. Risperidone 100 micrograms = 0.1 mg

15. Colestyramine 12 g = 0.012 kg

16. Salbutamol 20 micrograms = 20,000 nanograms

17. Diclofenac 75 mg = 0.075 g

18. Clomethiazole 384 mg = 384,000 micrograms

19. Hartmann’s solution, 150 mL = 0.15 L

20. Hydromorphone 2.6 mg = 2600 micrograms

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4PY019 Answers - WB 1:1 Unit conversions and basic numeracy

CALCULATING DRUG DOSES BASED ON TOTAL DAILY DOSE

EXERCISE 2

1. Drug B is available as capsules: the total daily dose is 1 g, given in divided

doses every 6 hours. Calculate the amount (in mg) in each dose.

First convert g to mg, so multiply by 1000: TDD = 1000 mg

Every 6 hours = 24 = 4 times a day, so each dose = 1000 = 250 mg

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2. Drug C is given by injection into the muscle: the total daily dose is 1.4 g,
given in divided doses four times a day. Calculate the amount (in mg) in
each dose.

First convert g to mg, so multiply by 1000: TDD = 1400mg

Every 6 hours = 24 = 4 times a day, so each dose = 1400 = 350 mg

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EXERCISE 3

Calculating doses based on body weight

1. A 65 kg woman requires drug D at a dose of 5 mg/kg Dose = 325 mg

2. A 27 kg child requires drug E at a dose of 25 mg/kg Dose = 675 mg

3. A 950 g baby requires drug F at a dose of 10 mg/kg Dose = 9.5 mg

4. Drug G: a 72 kg patient requires a dose of 4 mg/kg daily (in divided

doses every 8 hours). Calculate the amount of Drug G (in mg) in each
dose.

First calculate the dose based on the patient’s body weight: 72 x 4 = 288 mg

Every 8 hours = 24 = 3 times a day, so each dose = 288 = 96 mg

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5. Drug H: a 65 kg patient requires a dose of 1.5 mg/kg daily (in divided

doses every 8 hours). Calculate the amount of Drug H (in mg) in each
dose.

First calculate the dose based on the patient’s body weight: 65 x 1.5 = 97.5 mg
Every 8 hours = 24 = 3 times a day, so each dose = 97.5 = 32.5 mg
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4PY019 Answers - WB 1:1 Unit conversions and basic numeracy

APPENDIX 1: Basic numeracy

Exercise A1

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a) 3 1
8 4 = (24/8 + 5/8) = 29/8 + 7/4 = 29/8 + 14/8 = 43/8 = 5 and 3/8

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b) 15  8
4 6 = 63/4 - 53/6 = 189/12 - 106/12 = 83/12 = 6 and 11/12

1 1
c) 1 2
2 5 = 3/2 x 11/5 = 33/10 = 3 and 3/10

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d) 2 3
2 4 = 5/2 divided by 15/4 = 5/2 x 4/15 = 20/30 = 2/3

Exercise A2
Round the following to the required significant figures (SF) :

a) 0.006754 to 2SF = 0.0068

b) 10.749106 to 4SF = 10.75

c) 257.834 to 2SF = 260

d) 0.1201 to 3SF = 0.120

e) 12648790.1 to 2SF = 13,000,000

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4PY019 Answers - WB 1:1 Unit conversions and basic numeracy

Exercise A3
1) Express the following numbers in scientific notation:
a) 5326.6 = 5.3266 x 103

b) 0.000879 = 8.79 x 10-4

c) -254.1 = -2.541 x 102

d) -0.0059 = -5.9 x 10-3

e) 9.3134 = 9.3134 x 100

2) Calculate the following:

a) Multiply 5.1 x 104 by 2.5 x 103 = 12.75 x 107 = 1.275 x 108

b) Divide 3.66 x 10-5 by 2.0 x 10-3 = 1.83 x 10-2

c) What is the volume of a space inside a computer chip measured to be 0.00000256m wide,
0.00000014m long and 0.000275m high (express in scientific notation, in m3)

Answer: 9.856×10-17 m3

Method: First convert the three lengths into scientific notation:

 width: 0.000 002 56m = 2.56×10-6

 length: 0.000 000 14m = 1.4×10-7
 height: 0.000 275m = 2.75×10-4

Then multiply the digits together (ignoring the ×10s): 2.56 × 1.4 × 2.75 = 9.856

Last, multiply the ×10s: 10-6 × 10-7 × 10-4 = 10-17 (easier than it looks, just add -6, -4 and -7
together)

The result is 9.856×10-17 m3

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