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Tip Calculator
By JD Bluefield | April 21, 2008
Now how do you calculate the tip? I really shouldn’t have to explain this part, but I do, and here’s why. We’ve all been in that situation where, the check comes, someone grabs it, and then the question is put forth around the table, “so what do you think we should tip?” After some hemming and hawing, let’s just say it settles on 15%. Now maybe its because I’m an Engineer, and assumed to be good with numbers, but then the eyes shoot over to me with the, “uhh, so how much is 15%” look? So here’s a method I developed to Engineer My Tip Calculating.
Lets say the check is $127.43. How do I find 15% of that? Or even more advanced, how about 13% or 16%.
The 10:2:2 Tip Method.
- Well, for starters, why make life hard for yourself? Screw all the cents and just make it a nice easy number. Round it to $130.
- Divide by 10: Divide whatever the check is by 10 (or move the decimal point one spot to the left), and this is 10% of the bill.
$130.00 / 10 = $13.00 - Divide by 2: Divide that number in half and you get 5%. Then add that to the initial 10% and you got… surprise 15%!
$13 / 2 = $6.50 —> $13 + $6.50 = $19.50 - Multiply by 2: Multiply that first 10% by 2, you’ll get 20%.
$13.00 x 2 = $26.00 - So now you have a range of 10%, 15% and 20%, at $13, $19.50 and $26, respectively. So with this method you easily get 15%, and also a general range to estimate anything around it.
To Engineer My Tip Calculating even further I usually decide what percentage rate I’m going to tip while waiting for the bill. Knowing this all in my head, I can skip steps in calculating and bang the check out even faster. For example:
- I ask for the waiter for the check and set the gears in motion, “well, the waiter was courteous, glasses were never empty, he made a good recommendation on the beef tenderloin,… 18%”. Check arrives, “Okay, $127.43,… about $130,… 10% is $13, 20% is $26, ummm make an even $23.” Now I just did that off the top of my head, but it actually works out to 18.049% of the original $127.43.
I really did just guess $23, but since I’m typing, you’re just going to have to take my word for it. Either way, you can see how simple and effective this method is. No scribbling notes on the side, no asking around the table, and if you calculated the 18% to the exact $22.94, you spent 5 minutes to save 6 cents.
Now that you know how to calculate tip in a flash, use this fast trick to impress your date or teach it to your friends so no one shoots that look around the table… Oh and throw that lame-ass plastic or laminated-tip-card in the trash, its embarrassing.
JD’s Tangent Rant: Speaking of tipping. For all you guys/girls who do that move, where you calculate the tip such that the total charge equals a whole dollar. (The bill is $10.32, Tip $1.68, Total Charge: $12.00) Cut it out, because A) its not cute, B) we’re all sitting and waiting while you entertain yourself (again not cute), and C) when do any of your other charges ever equal to a whole number! Make the tip a whole $2, run the cents straight down to the total, make it $12.32 and be done with it.
Topics: Calculators, Engineered Living, Travel |
2 Responses to “Tip Calculator”
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April 22nd, 2008 at 11:07 am
I agree w/ your “Tangent Rant” =) I even know a few people who do that when filling up gas!! After the gas lever clicks (indicating that their tank if full), they keep on squeezing the lever until their gas total is an even dollar amount!! Yikes!! Maybe that’s why the lines at the gas stations are so long sometimes…
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:08 am
Oh, I forgot about those guys! My head is going to explode. I feel that those guys and the ones that top-off the tank are in the same boat. What a waste of time and energy.