Fahrenheit to Celsius
Convert Fahrenheit to Celsius and Kelvin instantly with the exact formula.
Formula
°C = (°F − 32) × 5/9. The freezing point of water is 32 °F = 0 °C.
Fahrenheit was proposed in 1724 and sets water's freezing point at 32 °F and boiling point at 212 °F. Most of the world has moved to Celsius, but the U.S. still uses Fahrenheit for weather, cooking, and medicine.
Celsius is the metric scale where water freezes at 0 °C and boils at 100 °C. It is used by nearly every country and in all scientific work.
For body temperature, 98.6 °F is exactly 37 °C. For cooking, 350 °F is about 177 °C and 450 °F is about 232 °C—values worth memorizing if you cook often.
Common uses
- Setting an oven from an American recipe that gives temperatures in Fahrenheit.
- Reading a U.S. weather report in Celsius while traveling abroad.
Frequently asked questions
- Why does the U.S. still use Fahrenheit?
- Habit and infrastructure. The cost of switching every thermometer, recipe, and weather service has kept Fahrenheit dominant in everyday American life.
- What is 98.6 °F in Celsius?
- About 37 °C. This is the commonly cited average human body temperature.
- How do I estimate without a calculator?
- Subtract 30 and halve the result for a quick approximation: 80 °F becomes about 25 °C. It is close enough for weather but not for medical or scientific use.
- Is 0 °F special?
- Yes—0 °F is the brine freezing point Fahrenheit chose. It has no simple Celsius equivalent, so -17.78 °C is just the arithmetic result.