Memorize the conversion factor of the ff:

• Common Metric Units: Volume

• Common Metric Units: Weight
PHARMACEUTICAL • Common Metric Units: Length
• Common Metric Conversions
CALCULATIONS • Apothecary Symbols
• Apothecary System: Volume
PRE-TASK • Apothecary System: Weight
• Avoirdupois System
• Household Measure: Volume
• Household Measure: Weight

Système InternationalPrefixes Common MetricUnits: Weight

Prefix Meaning Basic Unit Equivalent

micro- one millionth (basic unit × 10–6, or unit × 0.000,001)
milli- one thousandth (basic unit × 10–3, or unit × 0.001) 1 gram (g) 1000 milligrams (mg)
centi- one hundredth (basic unit × 10–2, or unit × 0.01)
deci- 1000 micrograms (mcg),
one tenth (basic unit × 10–1, or unit × 0.1)
hecto- one hundred times (basic unit × 102, or unit × 100) 1 milligram (mg) one thousandth of a gram (g)
kilo- one thousand times (basic unit × 103, or unit × 1000)
1000 grams (g)
1 kilogram (kg)

Common MetricUnits: Length Common MetricUnits: Volume

Basic Unit Equivalent

Basic Unit Equivalent
1 meter (m) 100 centimeters (cm)
1 liter (L) 1000 milliliters (mL)
0.01 m 0.001 L
1 centimeter (cm)
10 millimeters (mm) 1 milliliter (mL)
1000 microliters (mcL)
0.001 m
1 millimeter (mm) 1000 micrometers
or microns (mcm)
 Common MetricConversions Common MetricConversions
Conversion Instruction Example
kilograms (kg) to multiply by 1000 (move decimal Conversion Instruction Example
6.25 kg = 6250 g
grams (g) point three places to the right)
liters (L) to multiply by 1000 (move decimal
2.5 L = 2500 mL
milliliters (mL) point three places to the right)
grams (g) to multiply by 1000 (move decimal
3.56 g = 3560 mg
milligrams (mg) point three places to the right) multiply by 0.001 (move
milliliters (mL) to
decimal point three places to the 238 mL = 0.238 L
liters (L)
left)
milligrams (mg) to multiply by 0.001 (move decimal
120 mg = 0.120 g
grams (g) point three places to the left)

Apothecary Symbols Apothecary System:Volume

Measurement Unit Equivalent within System Metric Equivalent
Volume Weight 1♏ 0.06 mL

Unit of measure Symbol Unit of measure Symbol 16.23 ♏ 1 mL

minim ♏ grain gr 1 fℨ 60 ♏ 5 mL (3.69 mL)*
fluidram fℨ scruple Э 1f ℥ 6 fℨ 30 mL (29.57 mL)†
fluidounce f℥ dram ℨ 1 pt 16 f ℥ 473 mL

pint pt ounce ℥ 1 qt 2 pt or 32 f ℥ 946 mL

quart qt pound ℔ 1 gal 4 qt of 8 pt 3785 mL

* In reality, 1 fℨcontains 3.75 mL; however that number is usually rounded up to 5 mL
gallon gal or one teaspoonful
†In reality, 1 f℥,contains 29.57 mL; however, that number is usually rounded up to 30
mL.

Apothecary System:Weight
Avoirdupois System
Measurement Unit Equivalent within System Metric Equivalent
Measurement Unit Equivalent within System Metric Equivalent
1 gr 65 mg
1 gr (grain) 65 mg
15.432 gr 1g
1 oz (ounce) 437.5 gr 30 g
1Э 20 gr 1.3 g
1 lb (pound) 16 oz or 7000 gr 1.3 g
1ℨ 3 Э or 60 gr 3.9 g
1℥ 8 ℨ or 480 gr 30 g
* In reality, an avoirdupois ounce actually contains 28.34952
1 lb 12 ℥or 5760 gr 373.2 g g; however, we often round up to 30 g. It is common
practice to use 454 g as the equivalent for a pound (28.35
g × 16 oz/lb = 453.6 g/lb, rounded to 454 g/lb).
 Household Measure:Volume
Household Measure:Weight
Measurement Unit Equivalent within System Metric Equivalent
1 tsp (teaspoonful) 5 mL Measurement Unit Equivalent within System Metric Equivalent
1 tbsp (tablespoonful) 3 tsp 15 mL
1 oz (ounce) 30 g
1 fl oz (fluid ounce) 2 tbsp 30 mL (29.57 mL)*
1 lb (pound) 16 oz 454 g
1 cup 8 fl oz 240 mL
2.2 lb 1 kg
1 pt (pint) 2 cups 473 mL*
1 qt (quart) 2 pt 946 mL
1 gal (gallon) 4 qt 3785 mL

* In reality, 1 fl oz (household measure) contains less than 30 mL; however, 30 mL is usually used. When
packaging a pint, companies will typically present 473 mL, rather than the full 480 mL, thus saving
money over time.

Pipet beaker = wider mouth, more accurate

MODULE 1: MODULE 1:
Lesson 1 - Introduction Lesson 2
PHARMACEUTICAL CALCULATIONS
The area of study that applies the basic principles of mathematics to the
preparation and efficacious use of pharmaceutical preparations. It includes
Unit Conversion
calculations from initial product formulation through clinical administration and
outcomes assessment.
3785 mL 946 mL 473 mL 29.57 mL 3. 69 mL 0.06 mL
SYSTEMS OF PHARMACEUTICAL MEASUREMENT:
•Metric System gal qt pt f℥ fℨ 𝒎
•Common Measures 4 2 16 8 60
•Numeral Systems

MEASUREMENT AND CALCULATION ISSUES 1 gal – 4 qt 1 f℥ = 8 f℥

•It is extremely important that decimals be written properly. An error of a single 1 qt – 2 pt 1 fℨ = 60 𝒎
decimal place is an error by a factor of 10. 1 pt – 16 f℥

Problem Solving Using the Factor- Using the Factor-Label Method

Label Method Solving a Problem Using One Conversion Factor

Conversion Factor Factor-label Method

A term that converts a quantity in one unit to a quantity in Using conversion factors to convert a quantity in one unit
another unit. to a quantity in another unit.
𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒙 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓 = 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒚 • units are treated like numbers
• make sure all unwanted units cancel
• Conversion factors are usually written as equalities
𝟐. 𝟐𝟏 𝒍𝒃 = 𝟏 𝒌𝒈 To convert 130 lb into kilograms:
• To use them, they must be written as fractions 𝟏𝟑𝟎 𝒍𝒃 𝒙 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓 = ? 𝒌𝒈
𝟐. 𝟐𝟏𝒍𝒃 𝟏 𝒌𝒈 original desired
OG: kg 𝒐𝒓 OG: lb quantity quantity
𝟏 𝒌𝒈 𝟐. 𝟐𝟏𝒍𝒃
same unit
 Using the Factor-Label Method
𝟏𝟑𝟎 𝒍𝒃 𝒙 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓 = ? 𝒌𝒈
How to Solve a Problem Using Conversion Factors

How many grams of aspirin are in a 325-mg tablet?

𝟐. 𝟐𝟏𝒍𝒃
𝟏 𝒌𝒈 STEP 1 Identify the original quantity and the desired quantity,
or Answer:
including units.
2 sig. figures
𝟏 𝒌𝒈 original quantity = 325 mg
𝟏𝟑𝟎 𝒍𝒃 𝒙 = 𝟓𝟗 𝒌𝒈
𝟐. 𝟐𝟏𝒍𝒃 desired quantity = ? g
STEP 2 Write out the conversion factors needed to solve the
problem.
1 g = 1000 mg
• The bottom conversion factor has the original unit in the
denominator. This can be written as two possible fractions:
• The unwanted unit Ib cancels.
𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝒎𝒈 𝟏𝒈 Choose this factor to cancel
• The desired unit kg does not cancel. 𝒐𝒓 the unwanted unit, mg.
𝟏𝒈 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝒎𝒈

STEP 3 Set up and solve the problem.

Using the Factor-Label Method
Solving a Problem Using Two or More Conversion Factor
𝟏𝒈
𝟑𝟐𝟓 𝒎𝒈 𝒙
𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝒎𝒈
= 𝟎. 𝟑𝟐𝟓 𝒈 𝒐𝒓 𝟎. 𝟑𝟑 𝒈 Always arrange the factors so that the denominator in one
term cancels the numerator in the preceding term.
3 sig. figures Unwanted 3 sig. figures
unit cancels
How many liters is in 1.0 pint?
STEP 4 Write the answer with the correct number of significant original desired
𝟏. 𝟎 𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒕 ?𝑳
figures. quantity quantity

Two conversion factors are needed:

2 pints = 1 quart 1.06 quarts = 1 liter
𝟐 𝒑𝒕 𝟏 𝒒𝒕 𝟏. 𝟎𝟔 𝒒𝒕 𝟏𝑳
𝒐𝒓 𝒐𝒓
𝟏 𝒒𝒕 𝟐 𝒑𝒕 𝟏𝑳 𝟏. 𝟎𝟔 𝒒𝒕

First, cancel pt Then, cancel qt

*
Set up the problem and solve: While – Task: Unit Conversion
How many liters is in 1.0 pint?
250 f℥ - minims - gtts 657 f3 - gal
3785 mL 946 mL 473 mL 29.5 mL 3. 69 mL 0.06 mL 23.5 Ibs - mg 17580 gtts - f3
gal qt pt f℥ fℨ 𝒎
4 2 16 8 60 235 tbsp - f℥ 98,453 minims - gal

𝟏 𝒑𝒕 𝟒𝟕𝟑 𝒎𝑳
45 oz - kg 15670 mg - kg
𝟏. 𝟎 𝒑𝒕 𝒙 𝟒𝟕𝟑 𝒎𝑳
𝒐𝒓 𝟏 𝒑𝒕
= 𝟒𝟕𝟑 𝐦𝐋
34 cm - inches 0.75 gal - minims
𝟏𝑳 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝒎𝑳
𝟒𝟕𝟑 𝒎𝑳 𝒙 𝒐𝒓
𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝒎𝑳 𝟏𝑳

𝟏𝑳
𝟒𝟕𝟑 𝒎𝑳 𝒙 = 𝟎. 𝟒𝟕𝟑 𝐋 𝐨𝐫 𝟎. 𝟒𝟕 𝐋
𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝒎𝑳
 PERCENTS
• Percent means “per 100” or hundredths.
• Represented by symbol %
• 30% = 30 parts in total of 100 parts, and expressed in 30:100, 0.30, or 30/100

EXAMPLE:
MODULE 1:
Lesson 2
Percent and Significant
Figures
outof = - x100

·
Rules for Significant Figures

To determine the number of significant figures in a number use the following 3 rules:
While – Task: Percent
1. In a clinical study of niacin as a lipid-altering agent, 60% of the 90 patients in the study group
1. Non-zero digits are always significant developed flushing. Calculate the number of patients having this reaction.
2. Any zeros between two significant digits are significant
3. A final zero or trailing zeros in the decimal portion ONLY are significant 2. In a clinical study of divalproex sodium (DEPAKOTE) in patients prone to migraine headaches,
nausea occurred in 62 of 202 patients whereas the use of a placebo resulted in nausea in 8 of
Example: .500 or .632000 the zeros are significant 81 patients. Compare these data in terms of percent of subjects reporting nausea in each study
.006 or .000968 the zeros are NOT significant group.

3. If a clinical study of a new drug demonstrated that the drug met the effectiveness criteria in
646 patients of the 942 patients enrolled in the study, express these results as a decimal
fraction and as a percent.

4. Ritonavir (NORVIR) oral solution contains, in addition to ritonavir, 43.2% alcohol and 26.57%
propylene glycol. Calculate the quantities of each of these two ingredients in a 240-mL bottle of
the oral solution.

5. If a 60-gram tube of an ointment contains 2.5 grams of active ingredient, calculate the percent
concentration of active ingredient in the ointment.

6. The literature for a pharmaceutical product states that 26 patients of the 2103 enrolled in a
clinical study reported headache after taking the product. Calculate (a) the decimal fraction and
(b) the percentage of patients reporting this adverse response.

MODULE 1: While – Task: Percent

Lesson 3 - Ratio & Proportion
What is the importance of ratio and proportion in the practice of pharmacy? 1. A caplet contains 325 milligrams of medication. How many caplets contain 975
Ratios and proportions expressed as fractions, canceled out by cross multiplication or milligrams of medication?
division, provide for ease in problem-solving using this method of drug calculation.
Numerators (top) numbers or denominators (bottom) numbers multiplied and divided 2. If a dose of 100 milligrams is contained in 4 milliliters, how many milliliters are in
after the same units are canceled out. Refer to the sample below. 40 milligrams?

3. If 35 grams of a pure drug are contained in 150 milliliters, how many grams are
contained in 75 milliliters?

4. Three tablets of ulcer medication contain 375 milligrams of medication. How

many milligrams are in 12 tablets?

5. If 1 kilogram equals 2.2 pounds, how many kilograms are in 61.6 pounds?