A dose calls for 0.5 mg/kg; the patient weighs 44.4 kg. What is the correct dose?

A dose calls for 0.5 mg/kg; the patient weighs 44.4 kg. What is the correct dose?

• A. 4.44 mg
• B. 222 mg
• C. 22.2 mg
• D. 11.1 mg

Answer: (C)

The key idea is that the total dose in milligrams equals the dose per kilogram times the patient’s weight in kilograms. So multiply 0.5 mg/kg by 44.4 kg. 44.4 × 0.5 equals 22.2, giving 22.2 mg. The units work out because mg/kg × kg = mg, so you’re converting the per-kilogram dose into a total amount for this patient. This aligns with the expected scale: about 22 mg for a patient weighing around 44 kg at a half-milligram-per-kilogram dose.

The key idea is that the total dose in milligrams equals the dose per kilogram times the patient’s weight in kilograms. So multiply 0.5 mg/kg by 44.4 kg. 44.4 × 0.5 equals 22.2, giving 22.2 mg. The units work out because mg/kg × kg = mg, so you’re converting the per-kilogram dose into a total amount for this patient. This aligns with the expected scale: about 22 mg for a patient weighing around 44 kg at a half-milligram-per-kilogram dose.