Calculator Guides & FAQ
Quick explanations for the other tools on CalcAndGo.
Tip Splitter: Pre-Tax vs. Post-Tax Tipping
The tip splitter lets you choose whether your tip percentage is calculated on the bill before or after sales tax. Tipping on the pre-tax amount is the more traditional convention and results in a slightly smaller tip, since sales tax doesn't go to your server. Tipping on the post-tax amount is simpler in practice since it's based on the final total you see on the receipt. Either approach is reasonable - the calculator shows both the tip amount and the total so you can decide what feels right.
Tip Splitter: Rounding Options
When splitting a bill among several people, the per-person amount often comes out to an awkward number like $14.37. The rounding options let you round each person's share up to the nearest dollar or nearest $5, which adds a small amount to the total but makes paying with cash or splitting via apps much simpler.
Percentage Calculator: Choosing the Right Mode
The percentage calculator covers four common situations:
"What is X% of Y" answers questions like "what is 20% of 150" - useful for discounts, tips, or commissions. "X is what percent of Y" flips this around - if you scored 42 out of 50 on a test, this mode tells you that's 84%. "Increase or decrease Y by X%" is useful for raises, price changes, or growth projections - enter a negative number for X to calculate a decrease. "Percent change from X to Y" compares two values directly and tells you the percentage difference between them, which is handy for comparing prices, scores, or any before-and-after numbers.
BMI Calculator: Understanding Your Results
The BMI and calorie calculator calculates Body Mass Index from your height and weight, and categorizes the result as underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese based on standard BMI ranges. If you also enter your age, gender, and activity level, the calculator estimates your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) - the calories your body burns at rest - and your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), which accounts for your activity level. These numbers are commonly used as starting points for weight management, though they are population averages and may not perfectly reflect any individual's metabolism.
Unit Converter: Available Categories
The unit converter covers eight categories: length (including millimeters through miles and nautical miles), weight and mass (milligrams through metric tonnes), volume (milliliters through gallons), temperature (Celsius, Fahrenheit, Kelvin), area (square meters through acres and square miles), speed (m/s, km/h, mph, knots), time (milliseconds through years), and digital storage (bits through petabytes). Select a category first, then choose your "from" and "to" units from the dropdowns.
Advanced Math Solver: What It Covers
The advanced math solver handles algebra (simplifying expressions, solving linear and quadratic equations), calculus (derivatives with rule explanations, basic indefinite integrals, and numerical limit estimates), linear algebra (matrix operations and solving systems of equations via Gaussian elimination), and computer science tools (number base conversion, boolean logic, and a Big-O complexity reference). The integral solver covers common high school and early college patterns - polynomials, basic trig functions, and exponentials - but does not perform full symbolic integration for more advanced techniques like integration by parts or substitution with composite functions.
General Questions
Is my data saved or sent anywhere? No. Every calculation on CalcAndGo runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you enter is transmitted to a server or stored.
Why don't my numbers match a different calculator exactly? Small differences often come from rounding conventions, day-count assumptions (for loans), or whether a tool includes extra fees by default. CalcAndGo aims for standard formulas, but always treat results as estimates for planning purposes.