How many milligrams are in 1 tbsp dose of a liquid medication if there are 2 grams in 4 fl oz?
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
To find out how many milligrams are in 1 tablespoon (tbsp) of a liquid medication when there are 2 grams in 4 fluid ounces (fl oz), follow these steps:
- Convert grams to milligrams:
Since 1 gram (g) is equal to 1,000 milligrams (mg), 2 grams equals:
[
2 \text{ grams} = 2 \times 1,000 = 2,000 \text{ mg}
] - Convert fluid ounces to tablespoons:
There are 2 tablespoons (tbsp) in 1 fluid ounce (fl oz). Therefore, 4 fl oz is equivalent to:
[
4 \text{ fl oz} = 4 \times 2 = 8 \text{ tbsp}
] - Determine the milligrams per tablespoon:
If 2,000 mg are distributed in 8 tablespoons, we can find the milligrams per tablespoon by dividing 2,000 mg by 8:
[
\text{Milligrams per tbsp} = \frac{2,000 \text{ mg}}{8 \text{ tbsp}} = 250 \text{ mg/tbsp}
]
Thus, 1 tablespoon of the liquid medication contains 250 milligrams.
Explanation:
This problem involves both unit conversions and simple division. The first step is converting grams into milligrams, as the question asks for the final answer in milligrams. Knowing that there are 1,000 milligrams in a gram, the total quantity of 2 grams becomes 2,000 milligrams.
Next, we need to work with volume. Fluid ounces (fl oz) are commonly used to measure liquids, and there are 2 tablespoons in 1 fluid ounce. Therefore, 4 fluid ounces are equal to 8 tablespoons.
Finally, we divide the total amount of medication (2,000 mg) by the number of tablespoons (8) to find how much medication is in each tablespoon. This gives us 250 milligrams per tablespoon.
This method ensures that all conversions and calculations are done accurately, leading to the correct dose in milligrams.