What is the volume of amoxicillin syrup [tex]$125 mg / 5 ml$[/tex] required by a child prescribed 250 mg amoxicillin orally three times daily for 5 days?
Answer (2)
The total volume of amoxicillin syrup required for the child's 5-day treatment is 150 ml, calculated from the single dose requirement of 10 ml for 250 mg, taken three times a day. Thus, 30 ml is needed daily, leading to the total of 150 ml for the treatment period. This ensures the child receives the correct dosage as prescribed.
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Determine the volume of syrup for a single dose: 5 ml 125 mg = x ml 250 mg , which gives x = 10 ml .
Calculate the total daily volume: 10 ml/dose × 3 doses/day = 30 ml/day .
Calculate the total volume for the 5-day treatment: 30 ml/day × 5 days = 150 ml .
The total volume of amoxicillin syrup required is 150 ml .
Explanation
Understanding the Problem We are given that the amoxicillin syrup has a concentration of 125 mg per 5 ml, and a child is prescribed 250 mg of amoxicillin three times daily for 5 days. Our goal is to find the total volume of syrup needed for the entire treatment.
Calculating Single Dose Volume First, we need to determine the volume of syrup required for a single 250 mg dose. We can set up a proportion:
5 ml 125 mg = x ml 250 mg
Cross-multiplying, we get:
125 x = 5 × 250
125 x = 1250
Dividing both sides by 125, we find:
x = 125 1250 = 10 ml
So, a single 250 mg dose requires 10 ml of syrup.
Calculating Total Daily Volume Next, we calculate the total daily volume of syrup. The child takes the 250 mg dose three times a day, so the total daily volume is:
10 ml/dose × 3 doses/day = 30 ml/day
Calculating Total Volume for Treatment Finally, we calculate the total volume of syrup needed for the entire 5-day treatment:
30 ml/day × 5 days = 150 ml
Therefore, the child requires a total of 150 ml of amoxicillin syrup for the 5-day treatment.
Final Answer The total volume of amoxicillin syrup required for the 5-day treatment is 150 ml.
Examples
Imagine you're a nurse preparing medication for a child. You need to calculate the exact amount of liquid medicine to give based on the prescribed dosage and the medicine's concentration. This problem demonstrates how to accurately determine the total volume of medication needed over a course of treatment, ensuring the child receives the correct dosage each time. Accurate dosage calculation is crucial in healthcare to avoid under- or over-medication, which can have serious health consequences. By mastering these calculations, healthcare professionals can provide safe and effective care.
