About Our Everyday Calculators
"Everyday calculators" are the tools people reach for dozens of times per week without thinking about it — the tip calculator at a restaurant, the GPA calculator at semester end, the gas mileage calculator after a fill-up. These are utility tools that should work instantly, without friction, on any device.
Our tip calculator uses simple arithmetic — bill × (tip% ÷ 100) — divided by the number of people. Our time card calculator follows the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) definition of overtime: any hours over 40 in a standard workweek are compensated at 1.5× the regular rate for most US employees.
The sleep calculator is based on sleep cycle research showing that humans cycle through NREM and REM sleep in approximately 90-minute intervals. Waking at the end of a cycle (rather than in the middle of deep sleep) correlates with feeling more alert. The 14-minute sleep onset average is from the National Sleep Foundation.
The gas mileage calculator uses the EPA standard method: miles driven ÷ gallons of fuel used. The electricity cost calculator uses the formula (Watts × Hours × Days ÷ 1000) × kWh rate, based on how utilities meter consumption.