Shadow Health Basic Med Math Lee Arthur
1. Scenario: Mr. Larsen’s general practioner advised him to take 2g of fish oil per day. The
capsule Mr. Larsen purchased are 1,000mg.
Question: How Many Fish Oil capsules should be take each day?
Work:
1. Convert the doctor’s recommendation of 2g into milligrams.
1,000 mg
2g x =2,000 mg
1g
2. Determine how many fish pill capsules Mr. Larsen should take to ingest 2,000mg
1 capsule
x 2,000 mg=2 capsules1,000
mg
Answer: 2 capsules
2. Scenario: Before his surgery, Mr. Larsen was taking Tramadol, prescribed as 50mg by
mouth every 6 hours as needed for pain.
Question: If he took every available dose in 24 hours, how many mg of Tramadol would he
ingest?
Work:
1. Determine how many times in 24 hours Mr. Larsen took a dose.
1 dose
24 hours x =4 doses6
hours
2. Multiply the number of doses by the number of milligrams per dose.
50 mg
4 doses x =200 mg
1 dose
Answer: 200mg
3. Scenario: While in the hospital, the orders all for MR. Larsen to take atorvastatin 20mg, 1 tab, by
mouth once a day. However, the pharmacy only carries 10 mg tablets.
Question: How many tablets of atorvastatin should be administered to him?
Work:
1. Determine what information you have.
D (ordered dose )=20 mg
H (dose on hand )=10 mg
Q (quantity )=1 tablet
2. Plug into the equation and solve.
, Shadow Health Basic Med Math Lee Arthur
D (20 mg )
x 1 tablet =X , X =2tablets
H (10 mg )
Answer: 2 tablets
4. Scenario: The Davis’s Drug Guide reports a potential drug-drug interaction with acetaminophen
and warfarin. IF a patient is taking warfarin, mora than 2g/day of acetaminophen may increase
bleeding. Because Mr. Larsen is ordered both, he should receive no more than 2g/day of
acetaminophen.
Question: If Mr. Larsen takes acetaminophen 325mg, 2 tabs, by mouth every 4 hours for mild
pain. What is the maximum number of tablets you can give him so that he doesn’t exceed 2g/day?
(Assume you will only give him whole tablets.)
Work:
1. Determine how many milligrams are in 2 grams.
1,000 mg
2g x =2,000 mg
1g
2. Determine how many 325mg tablets go into 2,000mg.
1 tablet
2,000 mg x =6.15 tablets
325 mg
3. Consider that the dosage may not exceed 2,000mg, and you may only administer whole
tablets.
Round down ¿ the whole number of tablets=6
Answer: 6 Tablets
5. Scenario: At 0800, Mr. Larsen reports a moderate pain level of 5, and so you administer
oxycodone 5mg/ acetaminophen 325mg, 1 tab, by mouth. At 1200, Mr. Larsen reports mild pain
rated 3, so you administer acetaminophen 325mg, 2 tabs, by mouth.
Question: At this point, how many acetaminophens have Mr. Larsen taken?
Work:
1. Determine how many mg of acetaminophen Mr. Larsen has taken each time.
325 mg at 0800
650 mg at 1200
2. Add the two amounts together:
325 mg+ 650 mg=975 mg
Answer: 975mg
6. Scenario: In Mr. Larsen’s orders, the enoxaparin is prescribed for prophylaxis of DVT
following knew replacement surgery, and he is ordered 30mg by subcutaneous injection every
12 hours. Suppose the pharmacy stocks multi-use vials of 300mg/3ml enoxaparin.
Question: How much will you need to draw up to administer a 30mg dose?
Work:
1. Determine what information you have.
D (ordered dose )=30 mg
1. Scenario: Mr. Larsen’s general practioner advised him to take 2g of fish oil per day. The
capsule Mr. Larsen purchased are 1,000mg.
Question: How Many Fish Oil capsules should be take each day?
Work:
1. Convert the doctor’s recommendation of 2g into milligrams.
1,000 mg
2g x =2,000 mg
1g
2. Determine how many fish pill capsules Mr. Larsen should take to ingest 2,000mg
1 capsule
x 2,000 mg=2 capsules1,000
mg
Answer: 2 capsules
2. Scenario: Before his surgery, Mr. Larsen was taking Tramadol, prescribed as 50mg by
mouth every 6 hours as needed for pain.
Question: If he took every available dose in 24 hours, how many mg of Tramadol would he
ingest?
Work:
1. Determine how many times in 24 hours Mr. Larsen took a dose.
1 dose
24 hours x =4 doses6
hours
2. Multiply the number of doses by the number of milligrams per dose.
50 mg
4 doses x =200 mg
1 dose
Answer: 200mg
3. Scenario: While in the hospital, the orders all for MR. Larsen to take atorvastatin 20mg, 1 tab, by
mouth once a day. However, the pharmacy only carries 10 mg tablets.
Question: How many tablets of atorvastatin should be administered to him?
Work:
1. Determine what information you have.
D (ordered dose )=20 mg
H (dose on hand )=10 mg
Q (quantity )=1 tablet
2. Plug into the equation and solve.
, Shadow Health Basic Med Math Lee Arthur
D (20 mg )
x 1 tablet =X , X =2tablets
H (10 mg )
Answer: 2 tablets
4. Scenario: The Davis’s Drug Guide reports a potential drug-drug interaction with acetaminophen
and warfarin. IF a patient is taking warfarin, mora than 2g/day of acetaminophen may increase
bleeding. Because Mr. Larsen is ordered both, he should receive no more than 2g/day of
acetaminophen.
Question: If Mr. Larsen takes acetaminophen 325mg, 2 tabs, by mouth every 4 hours for mild
pain. What is the maximum number of tablets you can give him so that he doesn’t exceed 2g/day?
(Assume you will only give him whole tablets.)
Work:
1. Determine how many milligrams are in 2 grams.
1,000 mg
2g x =2,000 mg
1g
2. Determine how many 325mg tablets go into 2,000mg.
1 tablet
2,000 mg x =6.15 tablets
325 mg
3. Consider that the dosage may not exceed 2,000mg, and you may only administer whole
tablets.
Round down ¿ the whole number of tablets=6
Answer: 6 Tablets
5. Scenario: At 0800, Mr. Larsen reports a moderate pain level of 5, and so you administer
oxycodone 5mg/ acetaminophen 325mg, 1 tab, by mouth. At 1200, Mr. Larsen reports mild pain
rated 3, so you administer acetaminophen 325mg, 2 tabs, by mouth.
Question: At this point, how many acetaminophens have Mr. Larsen taken?
Work:
1. Determine how many mg of acetaminophen Mr. Larsen has taken each time.
325 mg at 0800
650 mg at 1200
2. Add the two amounts together:
325 mg+ 650 mg=975 mg
Answer: 975mg
6. Scenario: In Mr. Larsen’s orders, the enoxaparin is prescribed for prophylaxis of DVT
following knew replacement surgery, and he is ordered 30mg by subcutaneous injection every
12 hours. Suppose the pharmacy stocks multi-use vials of 300mg/3ml enoxaparin.
Question: How much will you need to draw up to administer a 30mg dose?
Work:
1. Determine what information you have.
D (ordered dose )=30 mg
