Nursing Math
Complete nursing math curriculum from arithmetic foundations through advanced critical care calculations. Aligned to TEAS, HESI, NLN PAX, NCLEX-RN, and NCLEX-PN exams. Covers CNA through BSN program levels.
1 Math Foundations
Assess your nursing math starting point — find out which module matches your current skill level and program requirements.
Master the PEMDAS rules for evaluating math expressions — parentheses, exponents, multiplication, division, addition, subtraction.
Review adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing decimals with a focus on fluency, estimation, and common error patterns.
Learn what ratios and rates are, how to write and simplify ratios, and the key difference between a ratio and a rate.
Learn what proportions are, how to solve them using cross-multiplication, and how to apply proportions to word problems.
Solve the three types of percent problems, calculate percent increase and decrease, and apply discounts and taxes step by step.
Learn how to solve linear equations step by step using inverse operations, with worked examples and practice problems.
Learn mental math shortcuts and reasonableness checks to catch dangerous tenfold errors before they reach the patient.
2 Measurement Systems and Conversions
Master metric prefixes, units, and conversions within the metric system — mg to g, mL to L, mcg to mg — essential for every nursing calculation.
Learn household measurement units — teaspoons, tablespoons, cups, ounces, and drops — and their standard equivalents used in patient education.
Master the metric, household, and apothecary unit conversions every nurse needs — mg to g, mL to L, tsp to mL, and lb to kg.
Master pound-to-kilogram conversions for accurate weight-based dosing — including ounce conversions for neonatal patients.
Convert between Fahrenheit and Celsius using the standard formulas — essential for interpreting vital signs and medication storage.
Learn to read and convert military time (24-hour clock) and Roman numerals — used in medication orders, charting, and prescription labels.
3 Medication Fundamentals
Learn how to read medication labels to identify drug name, dosage strength, concentration, and supply on hand for nursing calculations.
Learn standard drug abbreviations, sig codes, and how to interpret written and electronic medication orders accurately.
Understand the six rights of medication administration and the mathematical verification steps that prevent medication errors.
Learn to read syringe calibrations, select the right syringe size, and measure liquid medications accurately for safe administration.
Master all three dosage calculation methods — D/H x Q formula, ratio-proportion, and dimensional analysis — with side-by-side comparisons.
4 Basic Dosage Calculations
Calculate how many tablets or capsules to administer using the D/H x Q formula — with scored tablets, half-tablets, and multi-tablet doses.
Calculate liquid medication volumes in mL using the D/H x Q formula — for suspensions, elixirs, and solutions.
Calculate injectable medication volumes for intramuscular and subcutaneous routes using the D/H x Q formula.
Learn how to reconstitute powdered medications by adding the correct diluent volume to achieve the desired concentration.
Learn how solution concentrations work, how to calculate percent strength, and how to use the dilution formula in nursing.
Calculate insulin doses using unit-based measurements — including sliding scale protocols, mixing insulins, and U-100 vs U-500 concentrations.
Calculate subcutaneous heparin doses from vial concentrations — including prophylactic and therapeutic protocols.
5 IV Therapy Calculations
Understand isotonic, hypotonic, and hypertonic IV solutions — plus tubing types, drop factors, and infusion pump basics.
Calculate IV flow rates in mL per hour for infusion pump programming — the most common IV calculation in modern nursing practice.
Learn how to calculate IV drip rates in drops per minute and mL per hour, plus total infusion time for IV medications.
Calculate how long an IV infusion will take and what time it will finish — essential for shift planning and medication scheduling.
Calculate heparin IV drip rates using weight-based protocols — bolus doses, initial infusion rates, and aPTT-based adjustments.
Learn how to calculate a patient's total fluid intake and output, track fluid balance, and interpret I&O records.
Calculate enteral feeding rates, caloric intake, and TPN component concentrations — essential for nutrition support math.
6 Weight-Based and Pediatric Calculations
Learn how to calculate medication doses based on patient weight in mg/kg, critical for pediatric and adult dosing.
Learn how to verify that an ordered medication dose falls within the safe minimum and maximum therapeutic range.
Learn the Mosteller formula for calculating body surface area and how to use BSA for medication dosing in oncology and pediatrics.
Calculate pediatric IV rates using volume control sets and micro-drip tubing — where small errors have outsized consequences.
Learn three historical rules for estimating pediatric doses from adult doses — Clark's (weight), Young's (age), and Fried's (infant age).
Calculate daily fluid maintenance requirements using the Holliday-Segar (4-2-1) method for pediatric patients.
7 Advanced and Specialty Clinical Calculations
Convert mcg/min and mcg/kg/min dose orders to mL/hr pump rates — the core math skill for ICU and emergency nursing.
Calculate new pump rates when titrating critical care drips up or down — including dose increments and maximum rate limits.
Calculate MAP, cardiac output, cardiac index, and SVR — the hemodynamic parameters that guide critical care interventions.
Calculate Pitocin infusion rates, magnesium sulfate dosing, and gestational age — essential math for labor and delivery nursing.
Calculate BSA-based chemotherapy doses, carboplatin dosing with the Calvert formula, and Absolute Neutrophil Count for treatment decisions.
Calculate creatinine clearance using the Cockcroft-Gault equation and apply renal dose adjustments for kidney-impaired patients.
Calculate ideal body weight, tidal volume, and minute ventilation — the math behind mechanical ventilation settings.
Manage simultaneous IV drips — calculate total fluid intake, verify compatibility, and cross-check all running infusions.
8 Clinical Data and Exam Prep
Learn essential statistics for nursing — interpreting vital signs, lab results, odds ratios, sensitivity and specificity, and clinical trial evidence.
Learn how to read and interpret bar charts, line graphs, pie charts, and histograms for data analysis and test prep.
Calculate incidence, prevalence, relative risk, and odds ratios — the statistical measures behind evidence-based nursing practice.
Test your skills across all nursing math modules — from unit conversions through critical care drips — with mixed practice problems.