50 questions, 50 minutes, and every problem type is learnable.
The HESI A2 math section is 50 questions in 50 minutes covering arithmetic, fractions, decimals, percents, ratios and proportions, measurement conversions, and dosage style word problems, the practical math of nursing. Nothing on it is beyond careful high school arithmetic, which is exactly why it rewards drilling: every problem type repeats, and speed comes from repetition.
Three clusters cover most of the section. Arithmetic: fractions, decimals, percents, order of operations, time and temperature, and roman numerals. Proportional reasoning: ratios, proportions, and rates, usually dressed as word problems. Conversions and dosage: metric and household unit conversions and medication style calculations, the cluster that decides most scores.
Conversions deserve special respect: they hide inside other problems, and a missed factor of 1000 turns an easy dosage question into a wrong answer at full confidence.
1. Conversions. A nutrition label lists the mass of one packet as 0.375 grams. Which value shows the same mass in milligrams? 3.75, 37.5, 375, or 3750 mg. Answer: 375 mg. One gram is 1000 milligrams, so multiply 0.375 by 1000.
2. Dosage. An order reads 100 mg IM of an antibiotic. The vial label states 50 mg per 2 mL. How many mL should the nurse draw up? 0.4, 1, 2, or 4 mL. Answer: 4 mL. The vial holds 50 mg in 2 mL, so 100 divided by 50, times 2.
3. Proportions. The order is 5 mg of medication per 4 kg of weight. The patient weighs 20 kg. How many milligrams? 5, 16, 20, or 25 mg. Answer: 25 mg. Set 5 over 4 equal to x over 20 and solve.
These are from the app's free practice pool; the free practice test mixes them with the other six sections and explains every answer.
Drill conversions until they are reflexes, not calculations: gram to milligram, kilogram to pound, milliliter to liter, and the household spoons and cups. Then work word problems by writing the proportion before touching numbers. Most wrong answers on this section are setup errors, not arithmetic errors.
Practice by hand. Whether your sitting provides an on screen calculator is part of your program's exam instructions, and hand speed makes the question irrelevant. In the last two weeks, do timed 50 question runs: a minute per question is comfortable exactly when the conversions are automatic.
Is the HESI A2 math section hard?
It is the most predictable section on the exam. The problem types repeat, so scores track practice volume more than talent. Students who miss their target usually lost time to conversions they had to think about.
Can I use a calculator on the HESI A2 math section?
That is set by your program's exam instructions, so check when you register. Prepare to work by hand either way; the arithmetic is designed to be doable without one.
What math is on the HESI A2?
Fractions, decimals, percents, ratios and proportions, basic algebra style solving, measurement conversions, time and temperature, and dosage style word problems. No geometry proofs, no trigonometry, no calculus.
HESI and HESI A2 are trademarks of Elsevier Inc. This app is an independent study aid and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Elsevier, any nursing school, or any exam provider. Practice content is original and is grounded in openly licensed textbooks. Schools choose which sections they require and set their own passing targets, so always confirm the current requirements with your program.