(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. 

Chart of a household measurement system. Top three columns, left to right are Measurement, Terminology, Equivalents. First Row below, left to right. Distance Length. Inch, Foot, Yard, Mile, twelve inches equals one foot. Three feet equals one yard. One thousand seven hundred and sixty yards equals one mile. Second row, left to right. Capacity Volume. Drop, abbreviation written as gtt, Teaspoon, ounce, cup, pint, quart, gallon. Sixty gtt equals one teaspoon. Three teaspoons equal one tablespoon. Two tablespoons equal one ounce. Eight ounces equal one cup. Two cups equal one pint. Two pints equal one quart. Four quarts equal one gallon. Third row, left to right, Mass Weight, Ounce, pound, Sixteen ounces equal one 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 

Metric chart showing headings from left to right, Prefix, Value, Example. Rows below from left to right follow. First row, Kilo-, One thousand, one Kilogram equals one thousand grams. Second row, Hecto-, one hundred, one Hectometer equals one hundred meters. Third row, Deca-, ten, one Decaliter equals ten liters. Fourth row, Deci-, one tenth or 0.1, one decigram equals one tenth of a gram. Fifth row, Centi-, one one hundredth or 0.01, one centimeter equals one one hundredth of a meter. Sixth row, Milli-, one one thousandth or 0.001, one milligram equals one one thousandth of a gram. Seventh row, Micro-, one one millionth or 0.000001, one microgram equals one one millionth of a gram.

 

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