Converting Celsius to Fahrenheit

Temperatures are measured in different ways around the globe. Whether it’s Fahrenheit or Celsius, most of us are familiar with either one. Both of these temperature scales are commonly used for measuring temperatures. In the United States, temperatures are typically measured in Fahrenheit while Celsius is the norm elsewhere. The degree symbol (°) is both used for Celsius and Fahrenheit then followed by a capital C or F, respectively.

Under the Celsius scale, water freezes at 0 degrees and boils at 100 degrees. The freezing and boiling points of water, however, differ on the Fahrenheit scale. Water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit and boils at 212 degrees. Notice the difference? Hence, it is vital that we learn how to convert temperatures from Fahrenheit to Celsius so we always know what temperature is being referred to, especially if we are traveling to other countries.

How to Convert from Celsius to Fahrenheit

When converting from Celsius to Fahrenheit, we use the standard formula below:

Simply put, here are the steps to convert a given Celsius temperature to Fahrenheit.

1. Multiply the given Celsius temperature by \Large{9 \over 5}
2. Add 32 to the product
3. Express or write the sum with the degrees Fahrenheit symbol (°F)

Alternate Method (°C to °F)

Since \Large{9 \over 5} is equal to 1.8, we can also multiply the given Celsius temperature with 1.8 instead of \Large{9 \over 5}. As a result, we have the following alternative formula:

Converting Temperatures from Celsius to Fahrenheit Examples

To get familiar with the Celsius to Fahrenheit conversion, let’s go over a few examples.

Example 1: Convert 20° C to °F.

Let’s tackle this first problem by using the standard formula to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit. We’ll plug in the given Celsius temperature which is 20 degrees then simplify.

Answer: 20° C = 68° F. In other words, 20 degrees Celsius is 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

Example 2: What is 93 degrees Celsius in Fahrenheit?

We’ll use the standard conversion formula again for this example.

Notice that the corresponding Fahrenheit temperature for 93 degrees Celsius has a decimal. If you get an answer like this, don’t panic. Just because the temperature on the Celsius scale is a whole number does not imply that the temperature in Fahrenheit will be a whole number as well. Sometimes, your answer will have a decimal and it is the accurate temperature conversion.

Example 3: Convert – 10° C into degrees Fahrenheit.

Here we are given a negative Celsius temperature which means that this temperature is below the freezing temperature which is 0 degrees Celsius. Is its corresponding Fahrenheit temperature in the negatives as well? Let’s find out.

We’ll use the alternate formula this time. The steps are the same. We’ll first plug in our Celsius temperature, – 10°, into the formula then simplify.

As you can see, our solution is a positive number. Remember that water freezes at 0° C on the Celsius scale and 32° F on the Fahrenheit scale. As a result, while both are below freezing, a negative Celsius temperature does not always correspond to a negative Fahrenheit temperature.

Answer: -10° C = 14° F OR -10 degrees Celsius is 14 degrees Fahrenheit.

Example 4: A pizza was baked in a brick oven starting at 245° C. After ten minutes, the temperature of the brick oven increased by 17° C. What was the temperature of the brick oven in Fahrenheit after ten minutes?

We first need to find the increased temperature of the brick oven in Celsius before we do any conversion. We are told that the temperature increased by 17 degrees after ten minutes. This means we simply have to add 17° C to the starting temperature.

• Starting Oven Temperature: 245° C
• Oven Temperature after 10 Minutes: 245° + 17° = 262° C

Since we now have the increased temperature in Celsius, we can go ahead and convert it to Fahrenheit.

Answer: The temperature of the brick oven was at 503.6° F after ten minutes.

Example 5: Convert – 32° C to °F.

You should be familiar with the Celsius to Fahrenheit conversion formula by now so this should be easy. However, pay attention closely as you do your calculations especially when adding integers with different signs.

Example 6: The recommended storage temperature for a specific vaccine while kept in a refrigerator is between 2° C to 8° C. What is its corresponding temperature range in Fahrenheit? Round your answers to the nearest whole number.

To find the corresponding temperature range under the Fahrenheit scale, all we need to do is convert both 2° C and 8° C in Fahrenheit using one of the formulas.

• Convert 2° C to degrees Fahrenheit.
• Convert 8° C to degrees Fahrenheit.

Since we are told to round our answers to the nearest whole number, we now have 36° F and 46° F as our Fahrenheit temperatures.

Answer: The vaccine’s recommended storage temperature is between 36° F to 46° F.

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