Convert degrees Fahrenheit to Celsius
Translate Fahrenheit temperatures into the centigrade scale.
Calculator inputs
Results
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In short
- What it calculates
- Translate Fahrenheit temperatures into the centigrade scale.
- Formula used
°C = (°F − 32) ÷ 1.8- Example
- 98.6 °F to Celsius:
Fahrenheit to Celsius converter
A US weather forecast, an oven marked in Fahrenheit or an imported thermometer all need translating into the scale most of the world uses.
How it works
First the 32 degree offset between the scales is subtracted, then the result is divided by 1.8 to adjust the size of the degree.
Formula
°C = (°F − 32) ÷ 1.8
32 °F = 0 °C
212 °F = 100 °C
98.6 °F = 37 °C (body temperature)
Worked example
98.6 °F to Celsius:
98.6 − 32 = 66.6
66.6 ÷ 1.8 = 37 °C
A 90 °F day is 32.2 °C.
Explanation
Reference points worth memorising
Water freezes at 32 °F and boils at 212 °F. Normal body temperature is around 98.6 °F. The 70 °F on an American thermostat is 21 °C, a comfortable indoor temperature. The 100 °F of a Texas summer day is 37.8 °C. With those four references you can interpret almost any figure without calculating.
Fever in Fahrenheit
Fever is generally taken to start at 100.4 °F, equivalent to 38 °C. The 99 °F that alarms someone unused to the scale is only 37.2 °C, within normal daily variation.
Recipes and ovens
American recipes give oven temperatures in Fahrenheit in increments of 25: 350 °F is 177 °C, 375 °F is 191 °C and 425 °F is 218 °C. European ovens are usually marked in multiples of 10, so you round to the nearest value without affecting the result.
The hotel air conditioning
An American thermostat at 68 °F is 20 °C. Raising it to 75 °F is 24 °C. The Fahrenheit scale has smaller degrees, so a one-degree change is less noticeable than in Celsius.
Frequently asked questions
How do I estimate it quickly?
Subtract 30 and halve: 90 − 30 = 60, halved is 30 °C. The real value is 32.2 °C.
What body temperature counts as fever in Fahrenheit?
From 100.4 °F upwards, which is 38 °C.
At what Fahrenheit temperature is it a fever?
From 100.4 °F, equivalent to 38 °C. A reading of 99 °F is only 37.2 °C, within normal variation.
What is 350 °F in Celsius for an oven?
177 °C. On a European oven you would normally set 180 °C, and the difference does not affect the recipe.
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