Review Questions

Review Questions

1. What is math anxiety, and what are the common myths and games that help create the anxiety?

Math anxiety is the strong, uneasy feeling some people get when facing a math question. Their ability to memorize, concentrate, or pay attention to a math question is inhibited. Math anxiety myths are many, including these false notions:

* Men are better at math than women.
* Math is not creative.
* Math is unrelated to life.
* Math requires a good memory.
* Some people have a “math mind,” and some do not.

See Tables 5-1 and 5-2 for more examples.

2. What are the key points to remember when adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing decimals and fractions, and when converting decimals, fractions, percentages, and ratios?

You should be able to state, and apply, the steps outlined in Tables 5-3, 5-4, and 5-5 with confidence and certainty.

3. How does military time differ from the traditional system? What are the advantages?

By using military time as the standard, all time designations are made with the 24-hour clock.

Advantages to using a 24-hour clock:

* Daytime and evening hours are never confused.
* AM hours are the same as in traditional time.
* It is easy to convert PM time to military time by adding 12.

4. How do Roman numerals differ from the traditional numbering system? What are the key points to remember when using Roman numerals?

There are seven rather than ten characters. The Roman system is not based on 10. In addition, there are no placeholders (zero).

Key points to remember when using Roman numerals:

* All numbers can be expressed using seven numerals.
* If a smaller numeral is placed before a larger numeral, it is subtracted.
* If a smaller numeral is placed after a larger numeral, it is added.
* If the same numeral is placed next to itself, it is added.
* No numeral is placed next to itself more than three times.

5. Give three examples of how angles are used in health care.

Angles are used in:

* Injecting medications
* Describing joint movement
* Indicating bed positions

6. What are the three systems of measurement currently used in health care? Within each system, what is the nomenclature used for length, volume, and weight?

The three systems of measurement in health care are household, metric, and apothecary.

The length, volume, and weight nomenclature for each system are as follows:

* Household length : inch, foot, yard, mile; volume : drop, teaspoon, tablespoon, ounce, cup, pint, quart, gallon; weight : ounce, pound

* Metric length : meter (add prefixes to designate various distances); volume : liter (add prefixes to designate various volume sizes); weight : gram (add prefixes to designate various amounts)

* Apothecary length : not applicable; volume : minim, fluid dram, fluid ounce, pint, quart; weight : grain, dram, ounce

7. What are the equations for converting between the three systems of measurement?

Frequently, there are no exact equivalents when converting from system to system. Therefore, when converting from system to system, the answer gained is considered a close approximation. For example: 1 in. = 2.5 cm; 1 tsp = 5 ml; 2.2 lbs. = 1 kg; 39.4 in. = 1 m; 1 oz. = 30 ml = 30 cc; 1 grain = 60 milligrams; 1 qt. = 1,000 ml = 1,000 cc; and 15 grains = 1 gram.

8. What are the equations for converting Fahrenheit to Celsius? Celsius to Fahrenheit?

Fahrenheit to Celsius is (°F − 32) × 5/9 = °C.

Celsius to Fahrenheit is (°C × 9/5) + 32 = °F.