Temperature Converter

Temperature is measured on three scales in everyday use: Fahrenheit (°F), Celsius (°C), and Kelvin (K). The conversion between them is not a simple multiplication — each scale has a different zero point. 0°C = 273.15 K and 0°C = 32°F (exact, NIST SP 811). Type any temperature and the other two update instantly; click any result to use it as the new input.

The formula

All conversions route through Kelvin as base:

°C → K:  K = °C + 273.15
°F → K:  K = (°F − 32) × 5/9 + 273.15
K → °C:  °C = K − 273.15
K → °F:  °F = (K − 273.15) × 9/5 + 32

Direct °F ↔ °C shortcut:

°C = (°F − 32) × 5/9
°F = °C × 9/5 + 32

Practical examples

Example 1 — Body temperature

Normal human body temperature is 98.6°F. What is that in Celsius and Kelvin?

°C = (98.6 − 32) × 5/9 = 66.6 × 0.5556 = 37.0°C
K = 37.0 + 273.15 = 310.15 K

Example 2 — Weather forecast

A weather app shows 28°C. What is that in Fahrenheit?

°F = 28 × 9/5 + 32 = 50.4 + 32 = 82.4°F

Example 3 — Absolute zero

The coldest possible temperature is absolute zero: 0 K = −273.15°C = −459.67°F.

Common mistakes

Mistake 1 — Forgetting the offset when converting

Celsius and Fahrenheit do not share the same zero point. Multiplying 20°C by 1.8 gives 36 — but the answer is not 36°F. The correct answer is 20 × 1.8 + 32 = 68°F. Always apply the offset.

Mistake 2 — Using this tool when you need the oven temperature converter

For kitchen use, the oven temperature converter rounds results to the nearest 5°C (as real ovens are calibrated) and adds UK Gas Mark equivalents. This tool gives exact values and does not round.

International and regional variations

Quick reference: common temperature benchmarks