Which blood pressure value represents a typical normal reading for a resting adult?

• A. 125/95 mm Hg
• B. 120/80 mm Hg
• C. 72/120 mm Hg
• D. 100/80 mm Hg

Answer: (B)

Understanding what a normal resting blood pressure looks like. Blood pressure is read as systolic over diastolic pressure, reflecting pressure during heartbeats and between beats, respectively. A typical normal resting reading for an adult is about 120/80 mm Hg, with the first number around 120 and the second around 80.

The 120/80 value matches this standard precisely, serving as the common reference point for “normal.” A reading like 125/95 has a diastolic value well above normal, signaling higher risk even if the systolic part isn’t far from normal. A value written as 72/120 would imply a diastolic pressure of 120, which is dangerously high and not a plausible normal resting reading (and the numbers aren’t in the correct order for systolic/diastolic). A 100/80 reading has a normal diastolic value but a lower systolic value; while not harmful in itself, it doesn’t embody the typical resting reference that clinicians and textbooks use to define normal.