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20 free PTCB / PTCE practice questions

Try an original mixed preview that covers each of the four 2026 PTCE domains, including calculation practice under Order Entry & Processing. It is a skill check, not weighted like the 90-item exam, and not a prediction of a 1,400 scaled score.

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These are original Passy questions based on PTCB’s current PTCE Content Outline, effective January 6, 2026. Calculation items appear under Order Entry & Processing, the domain that covers formulas, conversions, and days supply. They are not official PTCE, Practice Bank, or Pre-PTCE items, they are not recalled exam questions, and they do not predict a passing score.

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MedicationsStep 1 · Choose one answer

A patient already takes lisinopril. A new e-prescription arrives for enalapril at a usual hypertension dose. Which concern should the technician flag for the pharmacist before filling?

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All 20 PTCB questions with explanations

Try the set above first, then use this list to review. Each answer and explanation stays closed until you open it.

  1. Question 1 · Medications

    A patient already takes lisinopril. A new e-prescription arrives for enalapril at a usual hypertension dose. Which concern should the technician flag for the pharmacist before filling?

    1. The two drugs are different dosage forms of the same salt and active ingredient.
    2. Both drugs are ACE inhibitors, so this may be a therapeutic duplication.
    3. Enalapril is a Schedule II controlled substance.
    4. ACE inhibitors must be stored in the freezer until they are dispensed.
    Show answer and explanation for question 1

    Correct answer: B · Both drugs are ACE inhibitors, so this may be a therapeutic duplication.

    Lisinopril and enalapril are both ACE inhibitors used for overlapping cardiovascular indications. Filling both without pharmacist review can create a therapeutic duplication. They are not the same salt, enalapril is not a C-II, and ACE inhibitors are not freezer-storage drugs. This is exam-prep recognition, not a decision to change anyone’s therapy.

    Look for this next time: Flag same-class overlaps for pharmacist review. Classification knowledge exists to catch duplications, not to prescribe.

  2. Question 2 · Medications

    A patient taking warfarin asks to add an over-the-counter ibuprofen product for daily joint pain. What is the most appropriate technician action?

    1. Recommend ibuprofen 800 mg three times daily because it is available without a prescription.
    2. Tell the patient NSAIDs never interact with warfarin.
    3. Refer the request to the pharmacist because an NSAID can increase bleeding risk with warfarin.
    4. Switch the warfarin to aspirin so the patient can use ibuprofen.
    Show answer and explanation for question 2

    Correct answer: C · Refer the request to the pharmacist because an NSAID can increase bleeding risk with warfarin.

    Warfarin plus a routine NSAID such as ibuprofen is a clinically important bleeding-risk combination. The technician’s job is to stop, document the request, and get pharmacist review—not to dose, deny a drug class as “never” interacting, or substitute anticoagulants. Keep this in exam-prep context: identify the interaction and escalate.

    Look for this next time: OTC requests still need interaction screening. Escalate anticoagulant plus NSAID combinations to the pharmacist.

  3. Question 3 · Federal Requirements

    Under current federal controlled-substance scheduling, hydrocodone combination products (for example, hydrocodone with acetaminophen) are in which DEA schedule?

    1. Schedule II
    2. Schedule III
    3. Schedule IV
    4. Schedule V
    Show answer and explanation for question 3

    Correct answer: A · Schedule II

    Hydrocodone combination products are Schedule II under federal law. Older study materials that still list them as Schedule III are outdated. Schedule III, IV, and V have different refill and prescription rules. State extra restrictions can exist, but the PTCE tests federal requirements.

    Look for this next time: Use current federal schedules. Do not rely on a memory of hydrocodone combinations as C-III.

  4. Question 4 · Federal Requirements

    A serialized prescription bottle arrives, but the pharmacy cannot verify the product identifier as required by the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA). What should happen next?

    1. Dispense it immediately so the patient is not delayed, and report the issue later.
    2. Quarantine the product and keep it out of regular stock until the issue is resolved.
    3. Remove the serial number label so the bottle can be returned to shelves as unmarked stock.
    4. Return it to the patient who dropped it off.
    Show answer and explanation for question 4

    Correct answer: B · Quarantine the product and keep it out of regular stock until the issue is resolved.

    DSCSA product serialization, tracking, tracing, handling, and quarantining requirements are on the current PTCE outline. A product that cannot be verified should be quarantined—not dispensed, stripped of identifiers, or handed to a patient. Exact investigation steps follow pharmacy policy and pharmacist direction.

    Look for this next time: Treat unverified serialized product as a quarantine problem, not a speed-to-fill problem.

  5. Question 5 · Patient Safety & Quality Assurance

    Which pair is an example of look-alike / sound-alike medication names that Tall Man lettering is meant to distinguish?

    1. hydrALAZINE and hydrOXYzine
    2. amoxicillin and penicillin
    3. atorvastatin and simvastatin
    4. metformin and insulin
    Show answer and explanation for question 5

    Correct answer: A · hydrALAZINE and hydrOXYzine

    Hydralazine and hydroxyzine are a classic LASA pair. Tall Man lettering highlights the differing stem so they are less likely to be selected in error. Same-class statins, related penicillins, or unrelated diabetes medicines are not the LASA example this item is asking for.

    Look for this next time: LASA pairs are about confusing names, not every two drugs that treat a similar condition.

  6. Question 6 · Patient Safety & Quality Assurance

    A prescription is written as “warfarin 5.0 mg daily.” Why is the trailing zero a safety problem?

    1. The trailing zero can be misread as 50 mg if the decimal is missed.
    2. Warfarin cannot be dosed in milligrams; it is dosed only in international units.
    3. Pearson test-center rules ban decimal points in any written dose.
    4. Trailing zeros make the NDC invalid for billing the prescription.
    Show answer and explanation for question 6

    Correct answer: A · The trailing zero can be misread as 50 mg if the decimal is missed.

    Error-prevention standards treat trailing zeros on whole-number doses as dangerous because “5.0” can be misread as “50.” Warfarin is dosed in milligrams, decimals are not banned by Pearson, and NDC format is a separate identifier issue. If a dangerous expression appears, stop and involve the pharmacist.

    Look for this next time: Watch for trailing zeros and missing leading zeros. Those are prescription-error patterns, not style nits.

  7. Question 7 · Order Entry & Processing

    An NDC is printed as 12345-6789-01. In the standard 5-4-2 NDC format, what does the last segment identify?

    1. The manufacturer or labeler
    2. The product (strength, dosage form, formulation)
    3. The package size and type
    4. The DEA schedule
    Show answer and explanation for question 7

    Correct answer: C · The package size and type

    In the common 5-4-2 NDC layout, the first segment is labeler, the second is product, and the last two digits identify package size and type. DEA schedule is not encoded as that package segment. Use the NDC to confirm the intended product and package, then still check the label against the prescription.

    Look for this next time: Read NDC segments in order: labeler, product, package. Do not treat the package code as a schedule.

  8. Question 8 · Order Entry & Processing · Calculations

    A prescription is written for 1 tablet by mouth twice daily. The pharmacy is filling 60 tablets. What is the days supply?

    1. 15 days
    2. 30 days
    3. 60 days
    4. 120 days
    Show answer and explanation for question 8

    Correct answer: B · 30 days

    Twice daily means 2 tablets each day. 60 tablets ÷ 2 tablets per day = 30 days. Fifteen days would be four tablets daily, 60 days would be once daily, and 120 days reverses the ratio. Days supply is current outline calculation knowledge, not compounding math.

    Look for this next time: Days supply = quantity dispensed ÷ quantity used per day after you decode the Sig.

  9. Question 9 · Order Entry & Processing · Calculations

    A suspension is labeled 250 mg per 5 mL. The prescribed dose is 400 mg. How many milliliters should be given for one dose?

    1. 5 mL
    2. 6 mL
    3. 8 mL
    4. 10 mL
    Show answer and explanation for question 9

    Correct answer: C · 8 mL

    Set up a proportion: 250 mg / 5 mL = 400 mg / x mL. Then 250x = 2,000, so x = 8 mL. 10 mL would be a 500 mg dose, and 5 mL is only 250 mg. This is ratio-proportion from the current Order Entry calculation knowledge area, using an original numeric example.

    Look for this next time: Write the labeled strength as a fraction, match units, then cross-multiply. Do not skip to a round household spoon amount.

  10. Question 10 · Order Entry & Processing · Calculations

    A prescription reads “Take 1 tablespoonful.” The pharmacy uses 15 mL as 1 tablespoon. The patient asks for the dose in milliliters. Which volume is correct?

    1. 5 mL
    2. 10 mL
    3. 15 mL
    4. 30 mL
    Show answer and explanation for question 10

    Correct answer: C · 15 mL

    One tablespoon is 15 mL using the equivalent in the question. 5 mL is one teaspoon, 10 mL is two teaspoons, and 30 mL is two tablespoons or about one fluid ounce. Use the stated equivalent rather than a household spoon from the kitchen.

    Look for this next time: Convert the household unit with the pharmacy equivalent given in the problem. A tablespoon is not a teaspoon.

  11. Question 11 · Medications

    A prescription for amoxicillin arrives for a patient whose profile lists an anaphylactic penicillin allergy. What should the technician do?

    1. Fill it because amoxicillin is not the word penicillin
    2. Alert the pharmacist before the prescription is dispensed
    3. Substitute cephalexin without telling the pharmacist
    4. Tell the patient allergies do not apply to antibiotics
    Show answer and explanation for question 11

    Correct answer: B · Alert the pharmacist before the prescription is dispensed

    Amoxicillin is a penicillin antibiotic, and an anaphylactic penicillin allergy is a stop-and-ask situation for the pharmacist. Filling it on the name difference, swapping another antibiotic, or dismissing the allergy is outside the technician’s role.

    Look for this next time: Recognize the drug class and stop for the pharmacist when the profile shows a serious allergy.

  12. Question 12 · Medications

    Which storage instruction matches a product labeled “refrigerate, do not freeze”?

    1. Keep it in the refrigerator and away from the freezer compartment
    2. Store it in the freezer so it lasts longer
    3. Leave it in a car if the trip is under one hour
    4. Room temperature is always acceptable for a refrigerated product
    Show answer and explanation for question 12

    Correct answer: A · Keep it in the refrigerator and away from the freezer compartment

    The label sets both the place and the limit: refrigerator, not freezer. Freezing, a hot car, or routine room-temperature storage can ruin a product the label says to refrigerate.

    Look for this next time: Follow the storage line on that package. Do not trade a refrigerator for a freezer.

  13. Question 13 · Federal Requirements

    A patient asks for a refill of a Schedule II oxycodone prescription that has no remaining quantity. Which federal rule applies?

    1. Schedule II prescriptions are not refilled; a new prescription is required
    2. Schedule II prescriptions may be refilled up to five times within six months
    3. Any technician may authorize one emergency refill
    4. The pharmacy may change it to a Schedule III drug to allow refills
    Show answer and explanation for question 13

    Correct answer: A · Schedule II prescriptions are not refilled; a new prescription is required

    Under federal controlled-substance rules, a Schedule II prescription is not refilled. Five refills in six months is the Schedule III–V pattern. A technician cannot authorize a refill or change the schedule.

    Look for this next time: No refills on a Schedule II prescription. A new prescription has to come from the prescriber.

  14. Question 14 · Federal Requirements

    Which prescription requires the strictest federal handling because of its schedule: alprazolam, or oxycodone?

    1. Oxycodone, because it is Schedule II, while alprazolam is Schedule IV
    2. Alprazolam, because every benzodiazepine is placed in Schedule II
    3. Neither, because both are noncontrolled
    4. They are in the same schedule, so the federal handling rules are identical
    Show answer and explanation for question 14

    Correct answer: A · Oxycodone, because it is Schedule II, while alprazolam is Schedule IV

    Oxycodone is a Schedule II opioid. Alprazolam is a Schedule IV benzodiazepine. Schedule II has the tighter prescription rules, including no refills. Treating them as equal or as noncontrolled misses the schedule.

    Look for this next time: Know the common schedules. Oxycodone is II. Alprazolam is IV.

  15. Question 15 · Patient Safety & Quality Assurance

    A stock bottle of metformin is pulled, but the NDC on the bottle does not match the NDC selected in the computer. What is the appropriate next step?

    1. Stop and resolve the mismatch before counting or labeling
    2. Cover the bottle NDC with the printed label
    3. Use the bottle if the drug name looks similar
    4. Change the computer NDC to whatever bottle is in hand
    Show answer and explanation for question 15

    Correct answer: A · Stop and resolve the mismatch before counting or labeling

    An NDC mismatch can mean the wrong strength, package, or product. The fill stops until the correct product is confirmed. Hiding the code, trusting a similar name, or editing the computer to match the bottle removes the safety check.

    Look for this next time: The scanned or printed NDC and the bottle NDC have to match before the count continues.

  16. Question 16 · Patient Safety & Quality Assurance

    A label is printed for “hydrALAZINE,” and the bottle in the tote is hydrOXYzine. What should the technician do?

    1. Return the wrong bottle and select hydralazine after checking the NDC
    2. Dispense hydroxyzine because the two names share several letters and sound alike
    3. Ask the patient which one they would rather have
    4. Mix the two bottles so either strength can be used
    Show answer and explanation for question 16

    Correct answer: A · Return the wrong bottle and select hydralazine after checking the NDC

    Tall Man lettering exists because these names are confused. Hydralazine and hydroxyzine are different drugs. The wrong bottle goes back, and the NDC is checked for the drug on the label. The patient does not choose between them, and the bottles are not combined.

    Look for this next time: Look-alike names are a reason to slow down and match the NDC, not a reason to guess.

  17. Question 17 · Order Entry & Processing

    A prescription reads “1 tablet PO TID.” What does that direction mean?

    1. One tablet by mouth three times a day
    2. One tablet by mouth every three days
    3. Three tablets by mouth once daily
    4. One tablet in each eye three times a day
    Show answer and explanation for question 17

    Correct answer: A · One tablet by mouth three times a day

    PO means by mouth, and TID means three times a day. Every three days, a single daily dose of three tablets, and an eye route are different sig codes. The route and the frequency both have to be read.

    Look for this next time: Decode route and frequency separately. PO TID is oral, three times daily.

  18. Question 18 · Order Entry & Processing

    A prescription is written for 30 tablets with the sig “1 tablet by mouth once daily.” The prescriber also wrote “refill 3 times.” What is the maximum number of dispensings, including the original fill, if every fill is used?

    1. 3
    2. 4
    3. 30
    4. 90
    Show answer and explanation for question 18

    Correct answer: B · 4

    Three refills plus the original fill is four dispensings. The number 3 is only the refill count. Thirty is the quantity of one fill, and 90 would be three times that quantity, not the number of times it can be dispensed.

    Look for this next time: Add the original fill to the refill number when the question asks how many times it can be dispensed.

  19. Question 19 · Order Entry & Processing · Calculations

    A liquid is 10 mg per 2 mL. The dose is 35 mg. How many milliliters are needed?

    1. 3.5 mL
    2. 5 mL
    3. 7 mL
    4. 17.5 mL
    Show answer and explanation for question 19

    Correct answer: C · 7 mL

    10 mg / 2 mL means 5 mg per mL. 35 mg ÷ 5 mg/mL = 7 mL. 3.5 mL would be 17.5 mg. 5 mL would be 25 mg. 17.5 mL comes from multiplying 35 by 0.5 instead of dividing by the concentration.

    Look for this next time: Turn the label into mg per mL, then divide the dose by that concentration.

  20. Question 20 · Order Entry & Processing · Calculations

    An insulin vial is U-100, which is 100 units per mL. How many milliliters equal 40 units?

    1. 0.04 mL
    2. 0.4 mL
    3. 4 mL
    4. 40 mL
    Show answer and explanation for question 20

    Correct answer: B · 0.4 mL

    40 units ÷ 100 units/mL = 0.4 mL. Moving the decimal one extra place gives 0.04 mL, which is only 4 units. 4 mL would be 400 units, and 40 mL would be 4,000 units.

    Look for this next time: Units are not milliliters. For U-100, divide the units by 100.

Use the sample well

The rationale matters more than the score.

A short set can show you what deserves another look. It is a small mixed preview, so it cannot measure PTCE readiness or predict a scaled score.

01

Answer before reviewing

Choose the best technician answer, check it, and read the rationale before moving on.

02

Read every rationale

Confirm why the best option fits, even when you were right.

03

Follow the pattern

Use recurring misses—not one score—to choose your next focus.

Want the wider map? Read how to study the current 2026 outline or which calculation setups the current exam still uses.

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