Final answer:
Mary's family left a tip of $16.38 on her birthday dinner. This is calculated by multiplying the pre-tax dinner cost ($65.50) by 25% (or 0.25 in decimal form). The result is then rounded to the nearest cent.
Step-by-step explanation:
In order to solve this problem, we'll need to calculate a percentage of a given amount. In this case, Mary and her family decide to leave a 25% tip on their dinner bill which amounts to $65.50.
First, we convert the percentage into decimal form. 25% becomes 0.25. Then, we multiply the total cost of the dinner by the decimal form of the percentage. So, the formula would be: Tip = Total Cost (Before Tax) * Percentage (in Decimal Form).
Applying the formula gives us: Tip = $65.5 * 0.25 = $16.375. Therefore, Mary's family left a tip of $16.38 for their dinner, as we normally round to the nearest cent in real-life transactions.
Learn more about Calculating percentages