Metric Conversions

Metric weights arranged in size order, starting with the biggest:

1) Kg (kilogram) 2) g (gram) 3) mg (milligram) 4) mcg
(microgram)

NOTE: Each one is a thousand (1000) times smaller than the one
before.

The same rule applies for the metric volumes below

1) L (Litre) 2) ml (millilitre)

Rule 1: If you want to convert from big to small you multiply by 1000 by
moving the decimal point 3 places to the right.

Rule 2: If you want to convert from small to big you divide by 1000 by
moving the decimal point 3 places to the left.

Example 1: Convert 7.5 kg to g Answer 1: 7500 g

Example 2: Convert 7280 mcg to mg Answer 2: 7.28 mg
Example 3: Convert 1.5 Litres to ml Answer 3: 1500 ml
Example 4: Convert 55 ml to Litres Answer 4: 0.055 litres

Try the following questions

1)Convert 4.56 g to mg
2)Change 75 mcg to mg
3)Convert 0.78 mg to mcg
4)Change 950 mg to g
5)Convert 0.5 Litres to ml
6)Change 452 ml to Litres
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 Metric Conversions
ANSWERS

1) 4560 mg

2) 0.075 mg

3) 780 mcg

4) 0.95 g

5) 500 ml

6) 0.452 Litres

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 Giving the Correct Amount of Tablets
You can use the following formula to calculate how many tablets to give

prescription for the patient

= tablets given
stock strength available
Example:
Your patient has been prescribed 400mg ibuprofen. The tablets available
are 200mg. How many tablets do you give the patient?

400 mg
Answer = 2 tablets
200 mg
Notice that the prescription and stock units (mg) must be the same.

Try the following questions

1)A patient has been prescribed 40 mg. The stock tablets you have are 20
mg. How many tablets do you give the patient?

2)A patient has been prescribed 0.06 mg. The stock tablets you have are 30
mcg. How many tablets do you give the patient?

3)The stock tablets you have are 600 mcg. A patient has been prescribed
1.2 mg. How many tablets do you give the patient?

4)A patient has been prescribed 750 mg TDD (total daily dose). The stock
tablets you have are 250 mg. How many tablets do you give the patient in a
day?

5)A patient has been prescribed 750 mg TDD in 3 divided doses. The stock
tablets you have are 250 mg. How many tablets do you give the patient for
a single dose?

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6)A patient has been prescribed 200 mg every 4 hours. The stock tablets
you have are 100 mg. How many tablets do you give the patient in a day?
 Giving the Correct Amount of Tablets
ANSWERS
40
1) 20 = 2 tablets

60
2) 0.06 mg = 60 mcg 30
= 2 tablets

1200
3) 1.2 mg = 1200 mcg 600
= 2 tablets

750
4) 250 = 3 tablets

750
5) 3
= 250 for a single dose

250
= 1 tablet
250

24
6) 4 = 6 times a day

200 x 6 = 1200 mg per day

1200
100
= 12 tablets per day

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 Giving the Correct Amount for Injection

You can use the following formula to calculate volumes for injection

prescription for the patient x stock volume (ml)

= volume given (ml)
stock strength available

Example:
Your patient has been prescribed 50mg of pethidine as injection. The stock
strength available is 100mg in 1ml. How many ml do you give the patient?
Answer: 50 m g s 1 m S 5
= = 0.5 ml
100 m g 10

Notice that prescription and stock units (mg) must be the same.

Try the following questions

1)A patient has been prescribed 2mg of Pethidine. The stock strength you have is
10mg/ml. How many ml do you give the patient?

2)40 units of Insulin have been prescribed. It is dispensed as 100 units in 1ml. How
much do you give?

3)Ampoules of Morphine contain 10mg in 2ml. What volume must be drawn up to

give 8mg?

4)The patient needs 250 mcg of Drug X. You have 1 mg in 1 ml. How many ml do you
give?

5)0.6mg of drug X is required. Stock is 0.4 mg in 2 ml. What volume doyou give?

6)0.25g of drug is ordered. Available stock on the ward is 500mg/5ml. Calculate the
volume to be drawn up for injection.

7)0.1 ml is given; it should have been 0.01ml. How many times too much is this?
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 Giving the Correct Amount for Injection

ANSWERS
2s 1
1) 10
= 0.2 ml

40 s 1
2) 100
= 0.4 ml

8s 2
3) = 1.6 ml
10

250 s 1 25
4) 1000
= 100
= 0.25 ml

0.6 s 2 6s 2 12
5) 0.4
= 4
= 4
= 3 ml

250 s 5 1250 250

6) = = 100
= 2.5 ml
500 500

7)10 times too much. Every time the decimal pointmoves 1

place this is a factor of 10.

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 Body Weight Calculations (single dose)
To work out the dosage based on the weight of the patient use the following formula

Dosage required = prescription x body weight

Example:
Mrs B has been prescribed Ibuprofen 5mg/kg/dose. She weighs 60 kg. Calculate how
much Ibuprofen you will giveher.
Answer:
5 mg x 60 = 300 mg

Note, the answer is never in kg (this only refers to the body weight)

Try the following questions

1) A patient has been prescribed Erythromycin, 40 mg/kg/dose. He weighs 74 kg.
What is the dosage in mg?

2) A male patient weighs 90 kg and has been prescribed, 1.5 mg/kg/dose of drug
X. How many mg will he need for a single dose?

3) Cloxacillin, 50 mg/kg/dose has been prescribed to a patient, whose weight is 45

kg.
a)How many mg are required for a single dose?
b)How many grams is this?

4) A female patient has been prescribed Chloramphenicol, 40 mg/kg/dose. She

weighs 78 kg. How many grams of the drug does she require for eachdose?

5) A patient weighs 60kg and requires 40 mcg/ kg of a drug.

a)How many mcg are required?
b)How many mg is this?

6) A patient who is 5 years old and weighs 20 kg has been prescribed 5 mcg per
kilogram body weight of Digoxin elixir. The Digoxin elixir is available as 50 mcg per
ml.
a)How many mcg does the patient require per single dose? Page7
b)What volume will you give the patient at each dose?
 Body Weight Calculations (single dose)
ANSWERS
1) 40 x 74 = 2960 mg

2) 90 x 1.5 = 90 + 45 = 135mg

3a) 50 x 45 = 2250mg

3b) 2.25 g

4) 78 x 40 = 3120mg = 3.12 g

5a) 60 x 40 = 2400mcg 5b) =

2.4 mg

6a) 20 x 5 = 100mcg
100
6b) 50 x 1 = 2 ml

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 Body weight calculations (TDD and divided doses)

Sometimes the dose of a drug is written as a Total Daily Dose (TDD) usually given in 3 or 4
divided doses.
It is very important that you notice the difference between a TDD and a single dose
otherwise you could give 3 or 4 times too much!

Also you need to know that bd means twice a day, tds means 3 times a day and qds
means 4 times a day.
Sometimes medicines are given every 4 hours (6 times a day).

Example: Mrs B has been prescribed Ibuprofen 5mg/kg/day in 3 divided doses. She
weighs 60 kg.
a)Calculate her daily dose.
b)Calculate a single dose
Answer:
a) TDD = dose x body weight = 5 mg x 60 = 300 mg/day
300
TDD = = 100mg/single dose
3
b) Single dose = 3

Try the following questions

1) Mrs Khas been prescribed Amoxicillin, 45 mg/kg/day and she weighs 50 kg. How many mg of
Amoxicillin will you give her for the whole day?

2) A patient, whose weight is 67.5 kg, has been prescribed Drug X, 10 mg/kg/day in 3 divided doses.
a) Calculate his TDD.
b) Calculate the single dose.

3) A patient has been prescribed Capreomycin sulphate, 5 mg/kg qds. He weighs 94 kg. What is his total
daily dose?

4) A patient has been prescribed Cephalothin, 20 mg/kg tds. She weighs 67 kg, what will be her total
daily dose in grams?

5) A patient has been prescribed Chloramphenicol, 45 mg/kg/day in 4divided doses. She weighs 70
kg.
a) What is her TDD?
b) What is the single dose?

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 Body weight calculations (TDD and divided
doses)
ANSWERS
1) 45 x 50 = 2250mg

2a) 67.5 x 10 = 675 mg per day

675
2b) = 225 mg per single dose
3

3) 5 x 94 x 4 = 94 x 20 = 1880 mg

4) 20 x 67 x 3 = 67 x 60 = 4020 mg = 4.02 g

5a) 45 x 70 = 3150 mg TDD

5b) 3150 ÷ 4 = 787.5 mg

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 Infusion Rate Calculations (ml/hour)

Volume required for the patient (ml)

Time (hours)

Example: Apatient is to receive 4 Litres of normal saline over the next 8 hours. What
is the infusion rate in millilitres per hour (ml/hour)?

Answer: First convert the 4Litres to ml, which is 4000 ml then substitute it into the
formula:

4000 2000 1000 500

= = = = 500 ml/hour
8 4 2 1

Try the following questions

1)800 ml of fluid in a burette is to be infused over 2 hours? What is the

infusion rate in millilitres perhour?

2)500 ml of Hartmann’s solution is to be given to a teenager over 8 hours.

What is the infusion rate inml/hour?

3)Over a period of 16 hours, a patient is to receive 2.4 Litres of dextrose 4%.

What is the infusion rate in ml per hour?

4)A doctor requests 0.75L of Crystalloid Xto be infused over 6 hours usinga
pump. At what rate in ml/hr should the infusion be administered?

5) Half a litre of Dextrose to be given over 4 hours. What is the rate in ml/hour?

6)The doctor prescribes 1000 ml of 5% Dextrose in normal saline to be infused

over 6 hours. How many ml per hour is this?

7) A patient receives 50ml of saline in half an hour. What is the rate in ml/hour?

8)What is the rate in ml/hour for 20 ml of fluid to be given over a quarter of an

hour?

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 LDU Maths, Stats and Numeracy Support

Infusion Rate Calculations (ml/hour)

ANSWERS
800
1) = 400 ml/hour. Remember you must include the unit, ml/hour for a
2
full and correctanswer.

500 250 125 62.5

2) = = = = 62.5 Now round your answer to a whole number
8 4 2 1
= 63 ml/hour

2400 1200 600 300

3) 2.4 Litres = 2400 ml, = = = = 150 ml per hour. Notice
16 8 4 2
how the 4% is irrelevant to this question so you do not need it in your
calculation.

750 375
4) 0.75 L= 750ml. = = 125 ml/hour
6 3

500 250
5) = = 125 ml/hour
4 2

1000 500
6) = = 166.666...round up to 167ml/hour
6 3

7) 50 ml in HALF an hour = 100 ml in 1 hour. Sothe rate is 100ml/hour

8) 20 ml x 4 (as there are 4 quarters in an hour) = 80 ml /hour

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 LDU Maths, Stats and Numeracy Support

Infusion Rate Calculations (drops/minute)

volume required (ml) drop factor

x
hours 60

Example: A patient is to receive 1 Litre normal saline over the next 4 hours. What is
the infusion rate in drops per minute if the drop rate is 15?

Answer: First convert 1L to ml, which is 1000 ml, and then substitute into the
formula:
1000 15 1000 1 1000 500 250 125
x = x = = = = = 62.5
4 60 4 4 16 8 4 2

Remember to round your answer to the nearest whole number = 63 drops per
minute.

Try the following questions

1)Half a litre of fluid is to be given over 5 hours. What is the infusion rate in drops
per minute if the drop factor is 15?

2)A young woman is to be given 480 ml of metronidazole 500 mg over 4 hours. What
is the infusion rate in drop per minute if the drop factor is 20?

3) Over the next 15 hours a male patient is to receive 4 21 litres of dextrose 5%. What
is the infusion rate in drop per minute if the drop factor is 20?

4) Apatient is to receive 500 ml of dextrose 5% over 2 hours. What is the infusion

rate in drops per minute if the drop factor is 20?

5) Afemale patient is to receive 2 21 litres of fluid over 10 hours. What is the infusion
rate in drops per minute if the drop factor is 15?

6) One unit of blood (500 ml) is to infuse over 4 hours. What is the flow rate if the
drop factor of the giving set is 15 drops/ml?

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 LDU Maths, Stats and Numeracy Support

Infusion Rate Calculations (drops/minute)

ANSWERS

1 500 15 100 1 100

1) 2 Litre = 500 ml. x 60
= x 4
= = 25 drops/minute
5 1 4

480
x
20
=
120 x 1 120
2) 3
= 3
= 40 drops/minute
4 60 1

Note: you are not being asked about the metronidazole so don’t use the 500mg.

4500 20 4500 1 4500

3) x = x = = 100 drops per minute
15 60 15 3 45

Please note that you have not been asked about the strength of the dextrose solution
so don’t use the 5%.

500
x
20
=
250 x 1 = 250
4) 2 60 1 3 3
= 83.333 = 83 drops/min.

2500 15 250 1 250

5) x = 1
x 4
= = 62.5 = 63 drops per minute
10 60 4

500
x
15 125
x
1 = 125
6) = 4
= 31.25 = 31drops/min
4 60 1 4

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 Calculating Infusion Times

To calculate the time an infusion will run for, use the following formula:

Volume to be infused (ml)

rate (ml per hour)
Example:
Apatient is given 2 litres of Saline at a rate of 125 ml/hour. How long (hours) will the
infusion last for?
Answer:
2000 400 80
= = = 16 hours
125 25 5

Try the following questions

1)800 ml of blood is to be given to a patient at the rate of 160 ml per hour. How long
will the infusionlast?

2)Half a Litre of solution is given at a rate of 125ml/hour. How long will the infusion
last for?

3)1 Litre of solution is running at a rate of 80 ml/hour. How long will the infusion last
for? Give your answer in hours and minutes

4)Apatient receives 200 ml of fluid at a rate of 400 ml/hour. What is the duration of
the infusion?

5)An infusion of 1200 ml Dextrose 5% is started at 10 am. When will the infusion
finish if it is running at a rate of 100 ml/hour? Give your answer using the 24 hour
clock.

6)4 litres of 0.9% normal saline is administered at a rate of 400ml/hour. After 5

hours the rate is changed to 250ml/hour.

a) How many hours will the infusion run for at the new rate?
b) What was the total running time for the infusion?

[email protected] Page 15
 Calculating Infusion
Times
ANSWERS
800 80 40 20
1) = = = = 5 hours
160 16 8 4

500 100
2) 125
= 25 = 4 hours

1000 100 50 25
3) = = 4 = 2 = 12.5 hours = 12 hours and 30 minutes
80 8
Remember that 0.5 of an hour is 0.5 x 60 = 30minutes.

200 1
4) 400
= 2 = half an hour

1200
5) = 12 hours.
100
The infusion starts at 10:00 so add 12 hours = 22:00 (10 pm)

6a) 400ml/hour x 5 hours = 2000ml

This means that after 5 hours 2000ml has been infused.
This leaves another 2000ml to run at the new rate of 250 ml/hour.

2000 200 40
= = = 8hours
250 25 5

6b) So the total time for the infusion is 5 + 8 = 13hours

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 Calculating Infusion Volumes

To calculate the volume given in an infusion, use the following formula:

Volume = Rate (ml/hour) x running time(hours)

Example:
Apatient is given Saline for 16 hours at a rate of 125 ml/hour. How many Litres of
saline will the patient receive?
Answer:
16 x 125 = 2000ml = 2 Litres

Try the following questions

1)Blood is given to a patient at the rate of 160 ml per hour for 5 hours. How much
blood will the patient receive? Give your answer in ml.

2)Dextrose 5% solution is given at a rate of 125ml/hour. The infusion lasts for 4

hours. How much Dextrose solution will beinfused?

3)Fluid is given at a rate of 80 ml/hour for 12 hours and 30 minutes. How many Litres
of fluid will have been infused at the end of the running time?

4) How much fluid is given in half an hour if it is running at a rate of 400 ml/hour?

5)An infusion of Dextrose 5% started at 10:00 and finished at 22:00.How many Litres
will have been given if it is running at a rate of 100 ml/hour?

6)0.9% normal saline is administered at a rate of 400ml/hour for 5 hours after this
the rate is changed to 250 ml/hour for the next 8 hours. How many Litres will have
been given when the infusion finishes?

[email protected] Page 17
 LDU Maths, Stats and Numeracy Support

Calculating Infusion Volumes

ANSWERS

1) 160 x 5 = 800 ml

2) 125 x 4 = 500 ml

3) 12 hours and 30 minutes = 12.5 hours

12.5 x 80 = 1000ml = 1 Litre

1
4) 400 x 2 = 200 ml

5) The infusion runs for 12 hours (22:00 - 10:00)

100 x 12 = 1200ml = 1.2 Litres

6) 400 x 5 = 2000ml
and then
250 x 8 = 2000ml
Total amount is 2000 + 2000 = 4000ml = 4 Litres

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 Working with PercentageStrength

5
You need to know that 5 %means 100

this means 5 g in 100 ml

Example 1: How many grams of Dextrose will a patient receive from 2 litres of 5%
Dextrose solution? (This is an example of a w/v, weight per volume question).
Answer 1:
2000 s 5
= 100 g of dextrose
100

Example 2: You have a cream that is 8% zinc oxide. How many grams of zinc oxide are
there in a 30g tube of cream? (This is an example of a w/w, weight per weight
question).
Answer 2:
30 x 8
= 2.4 g of zinc oxide
100

Try the following questions

1)A patient is given 1 litre of 5% dextrose. How many grams of dextrose do they
receive?

2)A patient is given half a litre of 0.9% normal saline solution over6 hours, how
much sodium will they get?

3)A patient is given 2 litres of 0.45% saline. How many grams of sodium will the
patient receive?

4) Which is stronger 0.9% Normal saline or 0.45% Normal saline?

5) How many grams of dextrose are needed to make up 2 Litres of 5% solution?

6) How many grams of medication do you have in 20g of 12% w/w ointment?

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 Working with PercentageStrength
ANSWERS
1000 s 5
1) = 50g
100

500 s 0.9 5 s 0.9

2) = = 4.5 g
100 1

Note that you do not use the 6 hours in this calculation.

2000 s 0.45
3) = 20 x 0.45 = 2 x 4.5 = 9g
100

4) 0.90 is bigger than 0.45 so 0.9% is stronger

2000 s 5
5) = 100g
100

20 s 12
6) = 2.4 g
100

Page 20
 Solution Strength (mg/ml)

You need to know;

1 in 1000 = 1g in 1000ml
1 in 10 000 = 1 g in 10000ml

Example 1: You have 2 solutions of Adrenaline: 1 in 1000 and 1 in 10 000

a) What is the concentration in mg/ml?
b) Which solution is the weakest?

Answer 1:
1000 m g
a) 1 g in 1000 ml = 1000 mg in 1000ml: 1000 mS
= 1mg/ml

1000 m g
1 g in 10 000 ml = 1000mg in 10 000 ml: 10 000 mS
= 0.1 mg/ml or 1mg in 10 ml

b) The 1 in 10 000 solution is the weakest

Example 2: You have 20 mg of drug in 8 ml. What is the concentration in mg/ml?

Answer 2:
20 mg
= 2.5 mg/ml
8 ml

Try the following questions

1)500 mg of amoxicillin powder is dissolved in 25 ml of water. What is the

concentration in mg/ml?

2)Asyringe contains 20 mg of morphine in 4 ml. What is the concentration in mg/ml?

3) You have 1 gram of drug in 20 ml of fluid. What is the strength in mg/ml?

4)Apatient requires 3 mg of Epinephrine by IM. You have the choice of a 1:1000 or a

1:10 000 solution.
a) Calculate how many ml is required for each solution.
b) Which solution is more suitable for injection?

5) Patient Xrequires 0.2 mg of 1 in 1000 Adrenaline. How many ml do you give?

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 LDU Maths, Stats and Numeracy Support

Solution Strength (mg/ml)

ANSWERS
500
1) = 20 mg/ml
25

20
2) 4
= 5 mg/ml

1000
3) 1g = 1000mg = 50 mg/ml
20

3 s 1000
4a) = 3 ml for the 1 in 1000
1000

3 s 10000
4a) = 30 ml for the 1 in 10000
1000

4b) The 1 in 1000 is more suitable for injection (much less fluid) as you cansee
from the picture below.

0.2 s 1000
5) = 0.2 ml
1000

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