(MM) Lesson 1: Introduction to Medical Math
Lesson 1: Introduction to Medical Math
Healthcare employees require knowledge and proficiency in multiple mathematical concepts including
- Use of the Metric System
- Basic Math Skills - Adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing
- Converting decimals, fractions, percentages, and Ratios
The Familiar and Not So Familiar: Systems of Measurement
Various systems of measurement are used in healthcare. Each system uses its own terminology to define distance, capacity, and mass. We will explore two of the three systems in this course.
Household Measurement System
This is the system that is most familiar to you as a citizen of the United States.
| Measurement | Terminology | Equivalents |
|---|---|---|
|
Distance Length |
Inch, Foot, Yard, Mile |
12 in = 1 foot 3 ft = 1 yard 1760 yards = 1 mile |
|
Capacity Volume |
Drop (gtt), Teaspoon, ounce, cup, pint, quart, gallon |
60 gtt = 1 tsp 3 tsp = 1 tbsp 2 tbsp = 1 oz 8 oz = 1 cup 2 cups = 1 pint 2 pints = 1 quart 4 quarts = gallon |
|
Mass Weight |
Ounce, pound | 16 ounces = 1 pound |
Metric System
This system is more accurate than the household system and is the standard measuring system for healthcare worldwide. The metric system is based on multiples of 10s. Let's take a look at the terminology. Much like medical terminology, this system is defined by prefixes meaning attached to a base unit.
Base Units/Whole Units of Measurement
- Distance/Length: Meter
- Capacity/Volume: Liter
- Mass/Weight: Gram
| Prefix | Value | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Kilo- |
1,000 |
1 Kilogram = 1000 grams |
|
Hecto- |
100 |
1 Hectometer = 100 meters |
|
Deca- |
10 | 1 Decaliter = 10 liters |
|
Deci- |
1/10 or 0.1 | 1 decigram = 1/10 of a gram |
|
Centi- |
1/100 or 0.01 | 1 centimeter = 1/100 of a meter |
|
Milli- |
1/1,000 or 0.001 | 1 milligram = 1/1,000 of a gram |
|
Micro- |
1/1,000,000 or 0.000001 | 1 microgram = 1/1,000,000 of a gram |
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