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MasterMath

Tip Calculator

A 50 bill with an 18% tip comes to 59, which is 29.50 each between two. Split the bill and the tip in one go.

Currency and number format for

Total to pay

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Total to pay—
Tip—
Each person pays—
Of which tip, each—

How this was worked out

    The formula

    tip = bill × percentage ÷ 100 · each = (bill + tip) ÷ people

    Where it comes from

    The tip is a percentage of the bill, and the total splits evenly between however many of you there are. The only real question is what the bill is: whether you tip on the amount before or after tax changes the answer, and both conventions exist.

    How to work it out by hand

    1. Multiply the bill by the tip percentage and divide by 100
    2. Add that to the bill for the total
    3. Divide the total by the number of people
    4. For a quick check, 10% is the bill with the decimal point moved one place left

    What is worth knowing

    Customs differ enormously and the percentage is the smaller part of it. In the United States 15 to 20% is expected in restaurants and staff wages assume it. In much of Europe service is included and rounding up is enough. In Japan tipping can cause genuine offence. The mental shortcut worth knowing: take 10% by moving the decimal point, halve it for 5%, and add them for 15%. Everything else is built from those two. If you are splitting unevenly rather than down the middle, this is the wrong tool — work out each share of the bill first, then apply the same percentage to each.

    Frequently asked questions

    Should I tip on the pre-tax or post-tax amount?

    Both conventions exist. Tipping on the pre-tax amount is the stricter reading; tipping on the total is more common and slightly more generous. The difference is small.

    How much should I tip?

    It depends entirely on the country. Roughly 15 to 20% in US restaurants, rounding up in much of Europe, and nothing at all in Japan, where it can be taken badly.

    What is the quickest way to do it in my head?

    Move the decimal point one place left for 10%, halve that for 5%, and add the two for 15%. Double the 10% for 20%.

    How do I handle an uneven split?

    Work out each person's share of the bill first, then apply the same tip percentage to each share. Splitting the total evenly only works if everyone ate similarly.