NMC CBT Numeracy Test 1
Start mastering your drug calculations with our NMC CBT Numeracy Test 1. This essential practice test focuses on foundational metric conversions, basic dosages, and fluid balance equations to prepare you for Part A of the NMC CBT.
Part A: Numeracy & Drug Calculations
A patient is prescribed 120 mg of oral Furosemide. The ward stock consists of 40 mg tablets. How many tablets should you administer?
Numeracy Study Guide & Formulas
Review all the drug calculation questions from this mock test. Understanding the formulas and step-by-step rationales is key to passing Part A of your NMC CBT exam.
1.A patient is prescribed 120 mg of oral Furosemide. The ward stock consists of 40 mg tablets. How many tablets should you administer?▼
✅ Correct Answer
3 tablets
💡 Calculation Steps / Rationale
Use the formula: Dose required / Dose available. 120 mg / 40 mg = 3 tablets.
2.A patient is prescribed 500 mg of oral Cefalexin suspension. The pharmacy dispenses a bottle with a concentration of 250 mg in 5 ml. How many milliliters (ml) should be administered for this dose?▼
✅ Correct Answer
10 ml
💡 Calculation Steps / Rationale
Use the formula: (What you want / What you have) x Volume. (500 mg / 250 mg) x 5 ml = 2 x 5 ml = 10 ml.
3.A patient requires an intravenous infusion of 1 Litre (1000 ml) of 5% Dextrose over 10 hours via a volumetric pump. What is the correct rate to set the pump in ml/hr?▼
✅ Correct Answer
100 ml/hr
💡 Calculation Steps / Rationale
To find the rate in ml/hr, divide the total volume by the total time in hours. 1000 ml / 10 hours = 100 ml/hr.
4.You need to administer 500 ml of 0.9% Sodium Chloride over 4 hours. The IV giving set delivers 20 drops per ml. What is the correct drip rate in drops per minute? (Round to the nearest whole number)▼
✅ Correct Answer
42 drops/min
💡 Calculation Steps / Rationale
Formula: (Total volume in ml x Drop factor) / Total time in minutes. First, convert 4 hours to minutes (4 x 60 = 240 mins). Then: (500 x 20) / 240 = 10000 / 240 = 41.66. Rounded to the nearest whole number = 42 drops/min.
5.A patient is prescribed intravenous Gentamicin at a dose of 5 mg per kg of body weight. The patient weighs 60 kg. What is the total dose required?▼
✅ Correct Answer
300 mg
💡 Calculation Steps / Rationale
Multiply the prescribed dose per kg by the patient's total body weight. 5 mg/kg x 60 kg = 300 mg.
6.During a nutritional assessment, you record a patient's weight as 90 kg and their height as 1.5 meters. What is their Body Mass Index (BMI)?▼
✅ Correct Answer
40
💡 Calculation Steps / Rationale
BMI is calculated as weight in kg divided by height in meters squared. Step 1: 1.5 x 1.5 = 2.25. Step 2: 90 / 2.25 = 40.
7.Calculate a patient's net fluid balance for a 24-hour period. Input: IV fluids 1500 ml, Oral fluids 800 ml. Output: Urine 1400 ml, Vomit 300 ml.▼
✅ Correct Answer
+ 600 ml
💡 Calculation Steps / Rationale
Total Input = 1500 ml + 800 ml = 2300 ml. Total Output = 1400 ml + 300 ml = 1700 ml. Net Balance = Input - Output = 2300 ml - 1700 ml = +600 ml.
8.A patient is prescribed 2500 nanograms of Alfacalcidol. The ward stock is measured in micrograms. How many micrograms (mcg) does this dose equal?▼
✅ Correct Answer
2.5 mcg
💡 Calculation Steps / Rationale
There are 1000 nanograms in 1 microgram. To convert nanograms to micrograms, divide by 1000. 2500 / 1000 = 2.5 mcg.
9.A patient requires 3.75 mg of Bisoprolol. The ward stock contains 1.25 mg tablets. How many tablets should you administer?▼
✅ Correct Answer
3 tablets
💡 Calculation Steps / Rationale
Use the formula: Dose required / Dose available. 3.75 mg / 1.25 mg = 3 tablets.
10.A 40 kg patient is prescribed intravenous Amikacin at 15 mg/kg. The ward stock vial contains a concentration of 250 mg in 1 ml. How many milliliters (ml) should be drawn up for this dose?▼
✅ Correct Answer
2.4 ml
💡 Calculation Steps / Rationale
Step 1: Calculate the total dose required (15 mg/kg x 40 kg = 600 mg). Step 2: Use the formula (What you want / What you have) x Volume = (600 mg / 250 mg) x 1 ml = 2.4 x 1 ml = 2.4 ml.
11.A patient requires 1 unit of Packed Red Blood Cells with a volume of 300 ml to be transfused over 2 hours. The blood-giving set delivers 15 drops per ml. What is the correct drip rate in drops per minute? (Round to the nearest whole number)▼
✅ Correct Answer
38 drops/min
💡 Calculation Steps / Rationale
Formula: (Total volume in ml x Drop factor) / Total time in minutes. First, convert 2 hours to minutes (2 x 60 = 120 mins). Then: (300 x 15) / 120 = 4500 / 120 = 37.5. Rounded to the nearest whole number = 38 drops/min.
12.A patient with renal failure is on a strict fluid allowance of 1200 ml per 24 hours. By midday, they have consumed two 200 ml bowls of soup and one 150 ml cup of tea. How much fluid allowance remains for the rest of the 24-hour period?▼
✅ Correct Answer
650 ml
💡 Calculation Steps / Rationale
Total consumed = (2 x 200 ml) + 150 ml = 400 ml + 150 ml = 550 ml. Remaining allowance = Total allowance (1200 ml) - Total consumed (550 ml) = 650 ml.
13.A patient is preparing for a colonoscopy and must drink 2.5 Litres of bowel preparation fluid. They are using a plastic cup that holds exactly 250 ml. How many full cups must they drink to finish the 2.5 Litres?▼
✅ Correct Answer
10 cups
💡 Calculation Steps / Rationale
First, convert Litres to millilitres. 1 Litre = 1000 ml, so 2.5 Litres = 2500 ml. Then divide the total volume by the cup size: 2500 ml / 250 ml = 10 cups.
14.A patient is prescribed 1.5 mg of oral Haloperidol liquid. The stock bottle contains 2 mg of Haloperidol in 1 ml. How many milliliters (ml) should you administer?▼
✅ Correct Answer
0.75 ml
💡 Calculation Steps / Rationale
Use the formula: (What you want / What you have) x Volume. (1.5 mg / 2 mg) x 1 ml = 0.75 x 1 ml = 0.75 ml.
15.A patient weighing 80 kg is prescribed a treatment dose of Enoxaparin at 1.5 mg/kg. The pre-filled syringe contains 150 mg of Enoxaparin in 1 ml. How many milliliters (ml) should be administered?▼
✅ Correct Answer
0.8 ml
💡 Calculation Steps / Rationale
Step 1: Calculate the total dose required (1.5 mg/kg x 80 kg = 120 mg). Step 2: Use the formula (What you want / What you have) x Volume = (120 mg / 150 mg) x 1 ml = 0.8 x 1 ml = 0.8 ml.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the passing score for the NMC CBT Part A Numeracy exam?
For the official NMC CBT Part A (Numeracy), you must answer at least 13 out of 15 questions correctly, which equals an 87% passing mark. Accuracy is critical in this section.
Are calculators allowed during the exam?
Yes, you will have access to an on-screen calculator provided within the Pearson VUE testing environment to help you with your calculations.
Continue Your NMC CBT Preparation
Done with the math? Move on to the clinical sections or test your endurance with a full 115-question mock exam.