High School

The formula for converting a temperature in degrees Celsius to degrees Fahrenheit is [tex]F(C) = \frac{9}{5} C + 32[/tex]. The inverse function will convert a temperature in degrees Fahrenheit to degrees Celsius. What is the formula for converting from degrees Fahrenheit to degrees Celsius?

[tex]C(F) = \frac{5}{9}(F - 32)[/tex]

Answer :

To find the formula for converting temperature from degrees Fahrenheit to degrees Celsius, we need to start with the original formula that converts Celsius to Fahrenheit:

[tex]\[ F(C) = \frac{9}{5}C + 32 \][/tex]

To find the inverse function, we need to solve this equation for [tex]\(C\)[/tex] in terms of [tex]\(F\)[/tex]. Here's how you do that step by step:

1. Start with the given formula:
[tex]\[ F = \frac{9}{5}C + 32 \][/tex]

2. Subtract 32 from both sides to isolate the term with [tex]\(C\)[/tex] on one side:
[tex]\[ F - 32 = \frac{9}{5}C \][/tex]

3. Multiply both sides by [tex]\(\frac{5}{9}\)[/tex] to solve for [tex]\(C\)[/tex]:
[tex]\[ C = \frac{5}{9}(F - 32) \][/tex]

This is the formula you use to convert a temperature from degrees Fahrenheit to degrees Celsius.

So, the answer is:
[tex]\[ C(F) = \frac{5}{9}F - \frac{5}{9} \times 32 \][/tex]

By completing the calculations, we can break it down as:

1. The conversion factor is [tex]\(\frac{5}{9}\)[/tex], approximately [tex]\(0.5556\)[/tex].
2. The value to subtract due to multiplying [tex]\(32\)[/tex] by [tex]\(\frac{5}{9}\)[/tex] is approximately [tex]\(17.778\)[/tex].

Therefore, the conversion formula is:
[tex]\[ C(F) = 0.5556F - 17.778 \][/tex]