A liquid medication is prescribed at 5 mL. If the medicine comes in a measuring spoon that holds 15 mL, how much of the spoon should the patient take?

To determine how much of the 15 mL measuring spoon should be filled to equal the prescribed 5 mL dose, you can use a simple fraction calculation. Since the measuring spoon holds 15 mL, you want to figure out what fraction of that spoon corresponds to the 5 mL dosage.

By dividing the prescribed dose (5 mL) by the total capacity of the spoon (15 mL), you can calculate the fraction:

5 mL ÷ 15 mL = 1/3

This means that taking 1/3 of the spoon will provide the exact 5 mL dose that has been prescribed. Therefore, the correct option accurately describes the amount of the spoon that should be used to achieve the correct dosage. Understanding this principle is important in medication administration to ensure patients receive the correct amounts of their prescriptions, preventing underdosing or overdosing.