How many 8-ounce prescription bottles will you need to fill a prescription of 480 ml of cetirizine?
The correct Answer and Explanation is:
To determine how many 8-ounce prescription bottles are needed to fill a prescription of 480 milliliters (ml) of cetirizine, we need to first convert ounces to milliliters and then calculate the number of bottles required.
Step 1: Convert ounces to milliliters
The conversion factor between ounces and milliliters is:
- 1 ounce = 29.5735 milliliters (ml)
Since the prescription bottle holds 8 ounces, we can calculate the volume in milliliters as follows:8 ounces×29.5735 ml/ounce=236.588 ml8 \text{ ounces} \times 29.5735 \text{ ml/ounce} = 236.588 \text{ ml}8 ounces×29.5735 ml/ounce=236.588 ml
So, each 8-ounce bottle holds approximately 236.588 ml.
Step 2: Calculate how many bottles are needed
Now that we know each bottle holds 236.588 ml, we can determine how many bottles are needed to provide the prescribed 480 ml of cetirizine:Number of bottles=480 ml236.588 ml/bottle≈2.03\text{Number of bottles} = \frac{480 \text{ ml}}{236.588 \text{ ml/bottle}} \approx 2.03Number of bottles=236.588 ml/bottle480 ml≈2.03
Since you cannot fill a fraction of a prescription bottle, you’ll need to round up to the nearest whole number, which means you will need 3 bottles.
Explanation:
In pharmacy calculations, accuracy is essential, especially when filling prescriptions. The volume of liquid medication prescribed is often in milliliters, but bottles are labeled in ounces. Understanding the conversion between ounces and milliliters helps ensure the correct number of bottles is provided to the patient.
In this case, since 1 ounce equals approximately 29.5735 ml, an 8-ounce bottle holds 236.588 ml. For a prescription requiring 480 ml, dividing this by the bottle’s capacity gives around 2.03 bottles. Since bottles are discrete, and you cannot use part of a bottle, you must round up to ensure the patient receives enough medication. Therefore, 3 bottles are necessary to meet the full 480 ml prescription.
This type of calculation is commonly used in healthcare to ensure medication is dispensed properly, preventing underdosing or overdosing.