Question

There are 2 different formulas to calculate body surface area-the top one uses cm for height and kg for weight and the bottom one uses inches and pounds. These must be completed using a calculator-you cannot do them on a sheet of paper.

Complete the calculation inside the square root symbol and then hit the square root key and that is the answer labeled as m2

Please calculate the body surface area using the following formula.

Body surface area is recorded as m2 If height and weight is in centimeters (cm) and kilograms(kg): m2 =

1. Calculate the body surface area for a child whose weight is 10 kg and length is 70 cm

The child has a medication ordered and the recommended dose is 3 mg per m2

2. What is the recommended dose for this child? If height and weight is measured in inches (in) and pounds: m2=

3. Calculate the body surface area for an adult whose weight is 170 lb and height is 67 inches.

4. The adult is to receive a medication with a recommended dose of 100 mg per m2 What would be the recommended dose for this adult?

Answer 1

Child weight is 10 kg

Height is 70 cm.

Multiply height by weight and divide by 3600

( 70X 10) / 3600= 700/3600

0.194

Take the square root of 0.194= 0.44 m²

1. So body surface area is 0.44m²

2. Recommended dose is 3 mg per m². So recommended dose for the child is 1.32 mg for 0.44 m² of body surface area..

Adult body weight is 170 pounds, height is 67 inches

Recommended dose is 100 mg/m²

Height in cms is 170.18 cms

170 pounds in kgs is 77.11 kg

( 170.18X 77.11)/3600= 3.645

Take the square root of 3.645= 1.91 m²

3. So the body surface area is 1.91 m²

4. Recommended dose is 191 mg for 1.91 m² of body surface area.