Example

Converting 50 Degrees Fahrenheit to Celsius

To convert 50°F50°\text{F} to Celsius, substitute F=50F = 50 into the Fahrenheit-to-Celsius formula:

  1. Write the formula: C=59(F32)C = \frac{5}{9}(F - 32).
  2. Substitute 5050 for FF: C=59(5032)C = \frac{5}{9}(50 - 32).
  3. Simplify inside the parentheses: C=59(18)C = \frac{5}{9}(18).
  4. Multiply: C=5×189=909=10C = \frac{5 \times 18}{9} = \frac{90}{9} = 10.

Therefore 50°F=10°C50°\text{F} = 10°\text{C}. This example demonstrates that converting a Fahrenheit temperature to Celsius requires first subtracting 3232 to remove the offset between the scales' zero points, then multiplying by 59\frac{5}{9} to rescale the result.

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Updated 2026-04-21

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