Question

A pharmacist is trying to stock the pharmacy with cheaper alternatives for customers. She will stop carrying the more expensive items. In doing so, she is trying to determine which of the following forms is the most expensive.
Tablet form comes in 50 mg tablets and cost $75.00 for a bottle of 100 tablets.
Capsule form comes in 75 mg capsules and cost $63.75 for a bottle of 85 capsules
Caplet form comes in 100 mg caplets and cost $70.00 for 40 caplets.
Based on the given information, which form is the most expensive?
a.
Tablet form is the most expensive.
b.
Capsule form is the most expensive.
c.
Caplet form is the most expensive.
d.
The forms all have the same unit price.

Answer 1

Compute unit cost per mg for each form:

- Tablet: $75 / (100 × 50 mg) = $75 / 5,000 mg = $0.015 per mg
- Capsule: $63.75 / (85 × 75 mg) = $63.75 / 6,375 mg = $0.01 per mg
- Caplet: $70 / (40 × 100 mg) = $70 / 4,000 mg = $0.0175 per mg

The caplet form is the most expensive (highest cost per mg). Answer: c.