Reference

Glossary

The terms behind the tools, in plain English.

Annual Percentage Rate — the yearly cost of borrowing including interest. Used in our card payoff and loan tools.

Basal Metabolic Rate — calories your body burns at complete rest. The base of the calorie calculator.

Total Daily Energy Expenditure — BMR multiplied by your activity level; the calories that keep weight stable.

Body Mass Index — weight (kg) divided by height (m) squared. A screening number, not a diagnosis. See the BMI calculator.

Interest earned on both your deposits and previous interest — growth that accelerates with time. See compound interest.

Price minus variable cost per unit — what each sale contributes toward fixed costs. Central to break-even.

Equated Monthly Instalment — the fixed monthly payment on a loan, combining principal and interest.

US payroll taxes: Social Security (6.2%) and Medicare (1.45%), taken from every paycheck. See take-home pay.

Gross is before deductions; net is what you actually receive. Applies to pay, price and profit.

End-of-service benefit under UAE labour law: 21 days basic pay per year for the first five years, 30 after. See the gratuity calculator.

The general rise in prices over time, which shrinks what each unit of money buys. See inflation.

Profit as a percentage of the selling price. A 50% markup equals only a 33% margin — see profit margin.

Profit as a percentage of cost. See the markup calculator.

The original amount borrowed or invested, before interest.

Return on Investment — profit divided by the amount invested, best judged alongside the time it took. See ROI.

The fixed amount US taxpayers subtract from income before federal tax is applied ($16,100 single in 2026).

Your salary after all taxes and deductions — the money that reaches your account.

Value Added Tax — a consumption tax added to prices in many countries (UAE 5%, UK 20%). See the VAT calculator.

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