(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 System
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 
Measurement Prefixes
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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