How to convert degrees Fahrenheit to degrees Celsius
Enter a temperature in degrees Fahrenheit and read it in degrees Celsius. The result updates as you type, and negative temperatures work.
This conversion needs a subtraction and a multiplication, because the two scales start at different points.
Formula: °C = (°F − 32) × 5/9
- Subtract 32 from the Fahrenheit temperature.
- Multiply the result by 5/9 (about 0.5556).
- For a quick estimate in your head, subtract 32, halve the answer, then add a tenth of that half. It is usually within about half a degree for everyday temperatures.
Common conversions
| Degrees Fahrenheit (°F) | Degrees Celsius (°C) |
|---|---|
| -40°F | -40°C |
| 0°F | -17.7778°C |
| 32°F | 0°C |
| 50°F | 10°C |
| 68°F | 20°C |
| 72°F | 22.2222°C |
| 98.6°F | 37°C |
| 212°F | 100°C |
| 350°F | 176.667°C |
| 400°F | 204.444°C |
Values are computed by the same converter as above, rounded to six significant digits. Need the other direction? See Celsius to Fahrenheit.
Worked examples
A warm day
75°F = 23.9°C.
Normal body temperature
98.6°F = 37°C. Normal body temperature varies by person and time of day, so 98.6 °F is a traditional average rather than a fixed value.
A baking oven
350°F = 176.7°C. Oven dials are marked in round numbers, so 350 °F is usually set as 180 °C.
A freezer
0°F = -17.78°C. Zero on the Fahrenheit scale is a cold winter day, not the freezing point of water, which is 32 °F.
Things to keep in mind
- This converts a temperature reading. A temperature difference converts differently: a rise of 18 °F is a rise of 10 °C, with no 32 to subtract.
- Nothing can be colder than absolute zero, −459.67 °F (−273.15 °C). The converter rejects anything below it.
- Negative Fahrenheit temperatures work: enter the minus sign in front of the number.