Basic Calculations

A pharmacy technician should recognize that which of the following temperatures is equal to 5° F?

• -41° C

• -15° C

• 15° C

• 41° C

Answer explanation

To convert 5° F to Celsius, use the formula C = (F - 32) × 5/9. Plugging in 5° F gives approximately -15° C, making -15° C the correct answer.

A pharmacy technician is preparing to dispense 60 mL of liquid medication. The technician should identify that 60 mL is equal to about how many fl oz?

• 1

• 1.5

• 2

• 3

Answer explanation

60 mL is approximately equal to 2 fl oz, as 1 fl oz is about 30 mL. Therefore, 60 mL divided by 30 mL/fl oz equals 2 fl oz, making the correct answer 2.

A pharmacy technician is processing a prescription that calls for a patient to take 45 mL by mouth once daily. The technician should recognize that 45 mL is equal to which of the following amounts?

• 1 tsp

• 2 tsp

• 3 tbsp

• 4 tbsp

Answer explanation

To convert 45 mL to tablespoons, note that 1 tablespoon (tbsp) is approximately 15 mL. Therefore, 45 mL is equal to 3 tbsp (45 mL ÷ 15 mL/tbsp = 3 tbsp). Thus, the correct answer is 3 tbsp.

A pharmacy technician should identify that 16 fl oz is equal to how many mL?

• 32

• 180

• 360

• 480

Answer explanation

To convert fluid ounces to milliliters, use the conversion factor: 1 fl oz = 30 mL. Therefore, 16 fl oz x 30 mL/fl oz = 480 mL. Thus, the correct answer is 480.

A pharmacy technician should identify that 80 kg is equal to how many lb?

• 160

• 176

• 180

• 196

Answer explanation

To convert kg to lb, multiply by 2.2. Thus, 80 kg x 2.2 = 176 lb. Therefore, the correct answer is 176.

A pharmacy technician receives a prescription for acetaminophen (Tylenol) for a patient who weighs 18 lb. The technician should identify that which of the following is the patient's weight in kg?

• 8.2 kg

• 9 kg

• 36 kg

• 39.6 kg

Answer explanation

To convert pounds to kilograms, divide the weight in pounds by 2.2. For 18 lb, 18 ÷ 2.2 = 8.18 kg, which rounds to 8.2 kg. Therefore, the correct answer is 8.2 kg.

A pharmacy technician is processing a prescription for 60 tablets of a medication. The instructions read, "1 tab po qid." The technician should identify that which of the following is the days' supply for this prescription?

• 10 days

• 15 days

• 20 days

• 30 days

Answer explanation

The prescription states '1 tab po qid', meaning 1 tablet four times a day. Therefore, 60 tablets will last 15 days (60 tablets ÷ 4 tablets/day = 15 days). Thus, the correct answer is 15 days.

A pharmacy technician is entering a prescription for an inhaler that has 120 metered doses and instructions to take 2 puffs by mouth twice daily. The technician should identify that which of the following is the days' supply for this prescription?

• 10 days

• 15 days

• 20 days

• 30 days

Answer explanation

The inhaler has 120 doses. With 2 puffs twice daily, that totals 4 puffs per day. Dividing 120 doses by 4 puffs per day gives 30 days' supply. Therefore, the correct answer is 30 days.

A pharmacy technician is preparing to dispense a prescription with the following instructions: "1 capsule po tid for 7 days." How many capsules should the technician dispense for this prescription?

• 7

• 14

• 21

• 42

Answer explanation

The prescription states to take 1 capsule three times a day (tid) for 7 days. Therefore, the total number of capsules needed is 1 capsule x 3 times/day x 7 days = 21 capsules.

A pharmacy technician is calculating the days' supply for a 5-mL eye drop bottle. The prescription instructs the patient to instill 1 drop in each eye twice daily. Which of the following is the days' supply for this bottle?

• 10 days

• 15 days

• 20 days

• 25 days

Answer explanation

The patient uses 2 drops per day (1 in each eye) for 25 days, totaling 50 drops. A 5-mL bottle contains approximately 100 drops (1 mL = 20 drops). Thus, the days' supply is 25 days.