Order Entry and Processing is 22.5% of the scored PTCE (the PTCB exam). Answer 10 exam style questions on pharmacy conversions and see exactly which concepts would cost you points on test day.
Start the 10 questions →A prescription reads: 1 tablespoonful by mouth twice daily for 7 days. Using 1 tbsp = 15 mL, what total volume should be dispensed?
These questions cover household conversion: tablespoons to mL, dose conversion: g to tablets per dose, apothecary conversion: grains to mg, temperature conversion: Celsius to Fahrenheit and temperature conversion: Fahrenheit to Celsius. Each one shows the correct answer and why every other option is wrong, so a miss tells you exactly what to review before the PTCE.
Prefer to read first? Every question from the practice set above, with the correct answer and why each wrong option is wrong.
Answer: B. Volume per dose = 15 mL. Daily volume = 15 mL x 2 = 30 mL. Total = 30 mL/day x 7 days = 210 mL.
Why not A: 105 mL is 15 mL x 7 days, which counts only one dose per day instead of two.
Why not C: 70 mL uses a teaspoon (5 mL) instead of a tablespoon (15 mL): 5 mL x 2 x 7.
Why not D: 420 mL treats a tablespoon as 30 mL, which is 1 fl oz, not 1 tbsp.
Exam tactic: tsp = 5 mL, tbsp = 15 mL. Then mL per dose x doses per day x days.
Answer: B. 1.5 g = 1,500 mg per day. Every 8 hours = 24 / 8 = 3 doses per day. 1,500 mg / 3 = 500 mg per dose. 500 mg / 250 mg per tablet = 2 tablets per dose.
Why not A: 6 tablets is the whole daily dose (1,500 mg / 250 mg). It must be divided into 3 doses.
Why not C: 3 tablets divides the daily dose by 2 (every 12 hours). Every 8 hours means 3 doses per day.
Why not D: 1 tablet gives only 250 mg per dose, or 750 mg per day, half the ordered 1.5 g.
Exam tactic: Convert g to mg first, divide by doses per day, then by tablet strength.
Answer: A. mg = grains x 65 mg/grain = 5 x 65 = 325 mg.
Why not B: 300 mg uses 1 grain = 60 mg. The stem states 65 mg per grain, so 5 x 65 must be used.
Why not C: 13 mg divides 65 by 5 instead of multiplying 5 grains by 65 mg.
Why not D: 650 mg is 10 grains (10 x 65), double the stated dose.
Exam tactic: Use the grain factor given in the question (60 or 65 mg) and multiply.
Answer: D. °F = (°C x 1.8) + 32 = (5 x 1.8) + 32 = 9 + 32 = 41 °F.
Why not A: 9 °F multiplies 5 by 1.8 but forgets to add 32.
Why not B: 37 °F adds 32 but skips the multiplication by 1.8.
Why not C: -15 applies the Fahrenheit-to-Celsius formula, (5 - 32) / 1.8, in the wrong direction.
Exam tactic: °C to °F: multiply by 1.8, then add 32. °F to °C: subtract 32, then divide by 1.8.
Answer: C. °C = (°F - 32) / 1.8 = (77 - 32) / 1.8 = 45 / 1.8 = 25 °C.
Why not A: 170.6 applies the Celsius-to-Fahrenheit formula (77 x 1.8 + 32) in the wrong direction.
Why not B: 45 subtracts 32 but forgets to divide by 1.8.
Why not D: 10.8 divides by 1.8 first and then subtracts 32. The 32 must be subtracted before dividing.
Exam tactic: °F to °C: subtract 32 first, then divide by 1.8.
Answer: A. iss = 1 + 1/2 = 1.5 tablets per dose. bid = 2 doses per day. 1.5 x 2 x 30 days = 90 tablets.
Why not B: 60 tablets ignores ss (one half) and counts only 1 tablet per dose.
Why not C: 45 tablets gives 1.5 tablets once daily. bid means twice daily.
Why not D: 120 tablets reads iss as 2 tablets per dose. ss means one half, so iss = 1.5.
Exam tactic: i = 1, ss = 1/2. Write the dose as a number before multiplying.
Answer: D. Dose 1 = 2200. Dose 2 = 2200 + 8 h = 0600 (next day). Dose 3 = 0600 + 8 h = 1400, which is 2:00 PM.
Why not A: 0600 is when the second dose is due (2200 + 8 hours).
Why not B: 2200 the next day would be the fourth dose (24 hours after the first).
Why not C: 1000 would follow from a 12-hour interval or from adding 12 hours once. q8h moves 8 hours per dose.
Exam tactic: List each dose in order. Past 2400, subtract 24 to get the next-day time.
Answer: C. Bottle = 4 fl oz x 30 mL = 120 mL. Daily volume = 5 mL x 4 = 20 mL. Days supply = 120 / 20 = 6 days.
Why not A: 24 is the number of 5 mL doses in 120 mL, not the number of days. There are 4 doses per day.
Why not B: 8 days divides 120 mL by 15 mL/day, which is three teaspoons daily. The sig is four times daily, so 20 mL/day.
Why not D: 12 days assumes twice daily (10 mL/day). The sig is four times daily.
Exam tactic: Convert the container to mL, then divide by mL per day.
Answer: B. 0.2 mg x 1,000 mcg/mg = 200 mcg. 200 mcg / 100 mcg per tablet = 2 tablets.
Why not A: 1/2 tablet inverts the ratio (100 / 200). The dose is larger than one tablet, so more than 1 tablet is needed.
Why not C: 20 tablets converts 0.2 mg to 2,000 mcg. 0.2 mg x 1,000 = 200 mcg.
Why not D: 1 tablet supplies only 100 mcg (0.1 mg), half of the ordered 0.2 mg.
Exam tactic: Put dose and tablet in the same unit before dividing.
Answer: A. Doses per day = 24 / 6 = 4. Daily mg = 650 mg x 4 = 2,600 mg. 2,600 mg / 1,000 = 2.6 g.
Why not B: 0.65 g is a single dose. Every 6 hours around the clock means 4 doses per day.
Why not C: 3.9 g counts 6 doses per day (every 4 hours). 24 / 6 = 4 doses.
Why not D: 26 g is a decimal-place error: 2,600 mg / 1,000 = 2.6 g.
Exam tactic: Doses per day = 24 / interval in hours. mg to g: divide by 1,000.
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