Multiply the Fahrenheit temperature difference by five-ninths to get the Celsius temperature difference, because temperature differences do not use the offset in the conversion formula.
Think of it like changing the size of each step on a thermometer. A degree on the Fahrenheit scale is a smaller step than a degree on the Celsius scale, so when you measure how much something changed in Fahrenheit you make the change smaller by multiplying by five ninths to get the Celsius change. You do not add or subtract thirty-two because that only matters when converting actual temperatures that use a fixed zero point, not changes or differences. For example, if something warmed by eighteen degrees Fahrenheit you multiply eighteen by five ninths to find it warmed by ten degrees Celsius. Always keep the multiplication and do not mix in the offset term.
A common mistake is treating a change in temperature like an actual temperature and adding or subtracting thirty-two, which will give a wrong result; the quick fix is to remember that offsets never apply to differences. Another error is using the wrong fraction or decimal and getting the sign backwards, so write the multiplication clearly as five ninths times the Fahrenheit change and carry the sign through. Sometimes people mix units in the same calculation; check that every value you use is explicitly labeled as a difference in Fahrenheit before converting.
For more examples and practice problems, check out w w w dot gumball degree dot com for videos and resources on converting temperature differences.
Convert 18°F Temperature Difference to °C
- Multiply by 5/9
- Do not add or subtract 32
- Changes use multiplication only
- Use numeric example like 18°F→10°C
- Keep sign with the value
Common Temperature Difference Conversion Errors
- Adding or subtracting 32
- Using wrong fraction or sign
- Mixing units in calculations
temperature, fahrenheit, celsius, temperatureconversion, degreeconversion, sciencehelp, thermometry, mathtips, unitconversion, physics
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