Numeracy Skills
40 free practice questions with explanations
PassNova has 40 free NHS Healthcare Assistant practice questions on Numeracy Skills, each with a clear explanation. Practise them in the browser with instant feedback — 100% free, no sign-up, on any device. Updated for 2026.
Numeracy Skills: example questions & answers
12 worked examples with answers and explanations below. Practise all 40 Numeracy Skills questions free in the browser, with instant feedback on every answer.
A patient weighs 70kg. What is their weight in pounds (1kg = 2.2lbs)?
- A140 lbs
- B154 lbs
- C165 lbs✓
- D180 lbs
Answer: 70kg × 2.2 = 154 lbs. Accurate weight conversions are important for medication calculations and monitoring.
A patient's temperature is 38.5°C. What is this in Fahrenheit? (Formula: (°C × 9/5) + 32)
- A99.8°F
- B100.3°F
- C101.3°F✓
- D102.5°F
Answer: (38.5 × 9/5) + 32 = 101.3°F. Temperature conversion skills are essential for assessing fevers and patient safety.
A patient is prescribed 500mg of paracetamol three times daily. How many grams will they take in 24 hours?
- A0.5g
- B1g
- C1.5g✓
- D2g
Answer: 500mg × 3 = 1500mg = 1.5g daily. Converting between mg and g is fundamental for medication safety.
A drip infusion has 1000ml to be infused over 8 hours. What is the rate in ml/hour?
- A100 ml/hour
- B125 ml/hour✓
- C150 ml/hour
- D200 ml/hour
Answer: 1000ml ÷ 8 hours = 125 ml/hour. Calculating infusion rates accurately is critical to prevent over/under-infusion.
A patient requires 5ml of liquid medication containing 10mg/ml. How many mg are they receiving?
- A25mg
- B40mg
- C50mg✓
- D100mg
Answer: 5ml × 10mg/ml = 50mg. Understanding concentration and volume calculations is essential for safe medication administration.
A patient's BMI (Body Mass Index) is calculated using their height and weight. If height is 1.70m and weight is 85kg, what is their BMI? (BMI = weight ÷ height²)
- A22.4
- B25.8
- C29.4✓
- D32.7
Answer: BMI = 85 ÷ (1.70)² = 85 ÷ 2.89 = 29.4 (overweight category). BMI calculations are used for health risk assessment.
A prescription reads 'Amoxicillin 250mg/5ml suspension, give 10ml three times daily'. How much drug is given per dose?
- A250mg
- B500mg✓
- C750mg
- D1000mg
Answer: 10ml × (250mg/5ml) = 10 × 50 = 500mg per dose. Accurate dose calculation prevents medication errors.
A patient has had 200ml of tea, 150ml of water, and 100ml of milk. What is their total fluid intake?
- A350ml
- B450ml✓
- C550ml
- D650ml
Answer: 200 + 150 + 100 = 450ml. Accurate fluid balance is essential for monitoring hydration and kidney function.
A patient's shift pattern is: 9am-5pm, 12pm-8pm, 5pm-1am. How many hours total have they worked?
- A20 hours
- B24 hours✓
- C28 hours
- D32 hours
Answer: 8 + 8 + 8 = 24 hours. Calculating working hours is important for fatigue management and workforce planning.
A medical stock contains 50 boxes of gloves. The ward uses 3 boxes per day. How many days will the stock last?
- A12 days
- B15 days✓
- C17 days
- D20 days
Answer: 50 ÷ 3 = 16.67 days (approximately 17 days). Stock management prevents supply disruptions.
A patient requires a drug at 2mg per kg of body weight. If they weigh 60kg, what is the total dose needed?
- A60mg
- B100mg
- C120mg✓
- D180mg
Answer: 60kg × 2mg/kg = 120mg. Weight-based dosing is a common and important calculation method in healthcare.
A patient's urine output is 1500ml over 24 hours. What is this in litres per day?
- A0.15 L
- B0.75 L
- C1.5 L✓
- D15 L
Answer: 1500ml = 1.5 litres. Normal urine output is 0.5-2L/day. Unit conversion is essential for monitoring fluid balance.