Celsius to Fahrenheit
°F = (°C × 9/5) + 32
Convert Celsius to Fahrenheit with the standard formula, a quick reference chart, and a free live converter.
How to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit
Multiply the Celsius temperature by 9/5 (or 1.8), then add 32. The +32 step exists because the Fahrenheit scale sets water's freezing point at 32°F while Celsius sets it at 0°C. Same physical moment, different zero points.
Worked example: convert 20°C to Fahrenheit. First, 20 × 1.8 = 36. Then 36 + 32 = 68. So 20°C is 68°F — typical mild room temperature in many climates.
Another check: 0°C → (0 × 9/5) + 32 = 32°F. That freezing-point equivalence is what 32 Degrees is built around: 32°F = 0°C = 273.15K.
Common Celsius to Fahrenheit conversions
Use these reference points when you need a quick mental check without opening a calculator.
| Celsius (°C) | Fahrenheit (°F) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| −40 | −40 | Scales meet |
| 0 | 32 | Freezing point of water |
| 20 | 68 | Mild room / outdoor |
| 37 | 98.6 | Approximate body temperature |
| 100 | 212 | Boiling point of water |
Why add 32?
Celsius stretches 100 degrees between freezing and boiling water. Fahrenheit stretches 180 degrees across the same interval (32°F to 212°F). One degree Celsius is therefore 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit. After you scale the size of a degree with ×9/5, you still have to shift the zero point with +32 so freezing lands at 32°F, not 0°F.
That is also why −40 is special: −40°C = −40°F. Below freezing, the offset and the scale factor can cancel at exactly one point.