Question

If a pharmacist added each of the following to 22-g packages of 2% mupirocin ointment, what would be the percentage strengths of the resulting ointments: (a) 0.25 g mupirocin powder and (b) 0.25 g of non medicated ointment base? The correct answers are (a) 3.10% w/w and (b) 1.98% w/w. Please show how this problem is solved.

Answer 1

Answer:

Answer explained below

Explanation:

Given that,

Package of Pharmacist weight = 22 g

mupirocin = 2% , Weight of the mupirocin = (2/100)*22 = 0.44 g

Hence , Amount of mupirocin to be added to 3% w/w mupurocin

Element = X

Then , Total weight of amount = (22+X)g

Total amount of mupurocin = (0.44+ X) g

Now, % of mupurocin in element = 3.10 %

3.10 = ((0.44+X)/(22+X))*100

68.2 + 3.10 X = 44 + 100X

24.2 = 96.9 X , X = (24.2 /96.9) = 0.2497 g

Amount of mupirocin to be added =0.2497 g