In a triple-bypass surgery, a patient required 3.00 pints of whole blood. How many milliliters of blood were required? (1 quart2 pints)
The correct answer and explanation is :
To solve this problem, we need to convert pints to milliliters, using the appropriate conversion factors. Here’s a breakdown of the steps and how we arrive at the solution.
Step 1: Identify conversion factors
We are given the following information:
- 1 pint = 0.473 liters (or 473 milliliters, since 1 liter = 1000 milliliters).
- We need to convert 3.00 pints to milliliters.
Step 2: Apply the conversion
We have 3.00 pints, and we need to convert that to milliliters. Using the conversion factor:
[
3.00 \, \text{pints} \times 473 \, \text{mL/pint} = 1419 \, \text{mL}
]
So, the patient required 1419 milliliters of whole blood for the triple-bypass surgery.
Explanation
The problem asks for the amount of blood in milliliters that corresponds to 3.00 pints. Since the unit for pints isn’t directly compatible with milliliters, we first convert pints into milliliters using the known conversion factor. This factor tells us that 1 pint equals 473 milliliters.
The patient required 3 pints of blood, so we multiply the number of pints (3) by the number of milliliters per pint (473 mL). This results in a total of 1419 milliliters.
Why This is Important
Understanding unit conversions is crucial in the medical field, especially when dealing with the administration of fluids like blood. Blood transfusions, intravenous (IV) therapy, and medication dosages often require precise calculations. Medical professionals need to know how to convert between different units of measurement, such as pints to milliliters, to ensure patients receive the correct amounts of fluids or medications. In this case, ensuring that the patient received the correct volume of blood is critical to the success of the surgery and the patient’s recovery.
Thus, by accurately converting 3.00 pints into milliliters, we ensure that the medical team can prepare the correct amount of whole blood needed for the procedure.