Common Registration Assessment, Part 1
Atenolol tablet strengths and daily doses for the GPhC assessment
Three original practice questions, with the working shown. Read the stated prescription or plan before calculating.
Published 21 October 2026. Independent revision material, not GPhC questions, not for patient care.
The BNF lists atenolol tablets in three strengths: 25 mg, 50 mg and 100 mg.
The BNF gives the usual adult dose for high blood pressure as 25 mg to 50 mg once a day, and for angina as 100 mg a day in one or two divided doses.
Each question fixes the values needed for its arithmetic. Write the unit beside every step and keep a single dose separate from a supply total. All prescriptions and patients here are fictional; these are revision materials, not for patient care.
The method
- Identify the exact strength, dose and frequency supplied in the question.
- Calculate one dose first; divide prescribed mg by mg per tablet.
- Scale to the stated duration only when a supply is requested.
- Watch whether the dose is once a day or split into two doses.
- Check the tablet count is a whole number before reporting it.
Three practice questions
Work each one on paper first, then open the answer. All patients and prescriptions are fictional.
Question 1
A fictional prescription specifies atenolol 50 mg once a day using 25 mg tablets. How many tablets is one day, and how many for 28 days?
Show the answer
Answer: 2 tablets a day, 56 tablets for 28 days
Working: 50 ÷ 25 = 2 tablets a day. 2 × 28 = 56 tablets.
Question 2
A fictional plan specifies atenolol 100 mg a day in two divided doses using 50 mg tablets. How many tablets are needed for 30 days?
Show the answer
Answer: 60 tablets
Working: 100 ÷ 50 = 2 tablets a day across the two doses. 2 × 30 = 60 tablets.
Question 3
A fictional prescription specifies atenolol 25 mg once a day using 25 mg tablets for 8 weeks. How many tablets is the course?
Show the answer
Answer: 56 tablets
Working: 25 ÷ 25 = 1 tablet a day. 8 weeks is 8 × 7 = 56 days, so 1 × 56 = 56 tablets.
Exam approach
Unit errors outrank arithmetic errors here. Circle the unit in the question, convert deliberately, and write the unit next to the answer.
Where marks are lost
- Mixing up the three strengths when the strength is stated in the question.
- Treating a divided daily dose as a single dose, or the other way round.
- Forgetting to convert weeks to days before multiplying.
Frequently asked questions
Are these official assessment questions?
No. They are original revision exercises, not official GPhC questions and not for patient care.
Do I need to memorise the strengths?
The exercise supplies them. In the assessment, read any given product information exactly as written.
How should I check the answer?
Check the requested unit, then work backwards from the quantity to the stated dose and duration.
Sources
The questions above are original and use fictional patients and prescriptions. PreRegExamPrep is not affiliated with or endorsed by the General Pharmaceutical Council.
Practise until the method is automatic
Try 15 free questions with worked answers. No sign-up required.
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