Pharmacy tech math practice
Updated
Infinite generated problems — never the same twenty twice. Every answer is computed, every solution worked step by step, and the built-in calculator matches the one on the real exam screen.
Controlled-substance limits · difficulty 2/5
A pharmacy has insufficient stock to fill a Schedule II prescription for #60 tablets and partially fills 55 tablets. Under the federal 72-hour partial-fill rule, how many tablets may still be supplied before the remainder becomes void?
A–D to answer · → next problem
Every examinable math topic on the 2026 PTCE — and where to drill it
| Topic | Drill it | 2026 status |
|---|---|---|
| Dosing calculations | Dosage (mg/kg) · Tablets per dose — in the trainer above | Core Order Entry material |
| Formulas | Formula sheet ↓ | All of them, on this page |
| Concentrations | Ratio strength — in the trainer above | 1:n ↔ % conversions |
| Dilutions | Dilutions (C₁V₁) — in the trainer above | Stock solutions |
| Alligation | Alligation page | REMOVED from the 2026 outline — kept for coursework |
| Conversions | Chart + drills | Metric, household, apothecary, temperature |
| Roman numerals | Reference table | Sig usage (tabs iss…) |
| Sig / prescription math | Days-supply tool | Days supply + quantity |
| IV flow rates | IV flow · Drip rate — in the trainer above | mL/hr and gtt/min |
| Business math | Business math — in the trainer above | Markup, discount, copays |
| Pediatric dosing | Dosage (mg/kg) — in the trainer above | Weight-based dosing covers it |
| BMI & BSA | — | Not named on the 2026 outline — deprioritized honestly |
| Non-sterile compounding | — | REMOVED from the 2026 outline |
| Mixed exam-level | Mixed (default) — in the trainer above | The trainer's default stream |
The formula sheet
Every formula the trainer drills, in one place. The exam gives you a basic on-screen calculator — these setups are what it can’t do for you.
Dispensing math
- Days supply
quantity ÷ (dose per administration × doses per day)Floor to whole days; insulin caps at the beyond-use date
- Quantity to dispense
dose per administration × doses per day × days- Tablets per dose
prescribed dose ÷ tablet strength
Doses & concentrations
- Weight-based dose
mg/kg/day × weight (kg) ÷ doses per dayConvert lb → kg by dividing by 2.2 first
- Dilution
C₁V₁ = C₂V₂One unknown, three knowns — solve for the missing one
- Ratio strength → %
1:n means 1 g per n mL → % = 100 ÷ n- Alligation parts
high parts = desired − low · low parts = high − desiredThe tic-tac-toe diagonal differences
IV math
- Flow rate
mL/hr = total volume (mL) ÷ time (hr)- Drip rate
gtt/min = (mL/hr × drop factor) ÷ 60Round to whole drops
Business math
- Markup
selling price = cost × (1 + markup %)- Discount
net price = list × (1 − discount %)- Gross profit
selling price − acquisition cost
Calibrated to the real exam
Generated problems stay inside exam-realistic bounds — quantities, strengths, and rates a retail or hospital tech actually sees — and difficulty follows the distribution we publish openly. How the calibration works →
Common questions
What math is on the PTCB exam?
Most calculations live in Order Entry & Processing (22.5% of the 2026 PTCE): days supply, quantities, doses, concentrations and dilutions, IV flow and drip rates, and unit conversions, all read out of sig codes. Weight-based dosing and stability checks also surface inside the Medications domain.
How many math questions are on the PTCE?
PTCB doesn’t publish a count. Order Entry & Processing contributes about 18 scored questions and is heavily calculation-based, with more arithmetic scattered through other domains — so a meaningful slice of your exam is math you can bank through practice.
What formulas do I need to memorize?
Days supply, weight-based dosing, C₁V₁ = C₂V₂, ratio strength, IV mL/hr and gtt/min, the core conversions, and the temperature formulas — the formula sheet below is the complete set the trainer drills.
Can you use a calculator on the PTCB exam?
Yes — a basic calculator is built into the exam screen at Pearson VUE; personal calculators aren’t allowed (PTCB candidate guidebook). The trainer’s calculator mirrors it, so you practice the way you’ll test.
How do I get better at pharmacy math?
Volume with feedback. Work problems until the setups are automatic, read the worked steps on every miss, and let the weakest-topic callout pick your next drill. Then prove it under exam pacing with the free 90-question diagnostic.