Common Registration Assessment, Part 1

Tramadol capsule strengths and daily maximums for the GPhC assessment

Three original practice questions, with the working shown. Read the stated prescription or plan before calculating.

Published 19 October 2026. Independent revision material, not GPhC questions, not for patient care.

A pharmacist in a white gown behind a pharmacy counter
Photo from Pexels, used under the Pexels licence. It is a stock image and does not show the exercise.

The NHS lists standard tramadol tablets and capsules as 50 mg, slow-release tablets as 50 mg to 400 mg, and drops as 100 mg in each 1 mL.

The BNF gives a usual adult pattern of 50 mg to 100 mg every 4 to 6 hours, with a usual maximum of 400 mg in 24 hours.

Each question fixes the values needed for its arithmetic. Write the unit beside every step and keep a single dose separate from a 24 hour total. All prescriptions and patients here are fictional; these are revision materials, not for patient care.

The method

  1. Identify the exact formulation, strength, dose and interval supplied in the question.
  2. Work out how many stated intervals fit into 24 hours before scaling a dose.
  3. Calculate one dose first; divide prescribed mg by mg per capsule.
  4. Total the 24 hour amount and check it against the stated maximum.
  5. Report the requested figure: single dose, daily total or supply.

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 tramadol 50 mg every 6 hours using 50 mg capsules. What is the maximum number of capsules in 24 hours, and what is the daily total in mg?

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Answer: 4 capsules, 200 mg

Working: 24 ÷ 6 = 4 doses at most. 50 ÷ 50 = 1 capsule per dose. 4 × 50 = 200 mg in 24 hours.

Question 2

A fictional prescription specifies tramadol 100 mg per dose. The stated maximum is 400 mg in 24 hours. What is the maximum number of doses in 24 hours?

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Answer: 4 doses

Working: 400 ÷ 100 = 4 doses.

Question 3

A fictional prescription specifies slow-release tramadol 100 mg twice a day using 100 mg slow-release tablets. How many tablets is a 30 day month, and is the daily total within the stated 400 mg maximum?

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Answer: 60 tablets, yes

Working: 100 ÷ 100 = 1 tablet per dose. 1 × 2 = 2 tablets a day. 2 × 30 = 60 tablets. Daily total is 100 × 2 = 200 mg, which is below 400 mg.

Exam approach

Interval questions start with 24 ÷ interval. That count, multiplied by the dose, gives the daily total to compare with the maximum.

Where marks are lost

  • Letting a 24 hour total pass the stated 400 mg maximum without checking.
  • Mixing standard and slow-release strengths in the same calculation.
  • Counting doses per day without dividing 24 hours by the stated interval.

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

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More calculation topics

See also the formula sheet, the eight sample questions and the approved calculator page.