To convert Fahrenheit to Celsius, which mathematical operation should you perform first?

To convert Fahrenheit to Celsius, the first operation you need to perform is to subtract 32 from the Fahrenheit temperature. This step is crucial because the conversion formula for shifting from the Fahrenheit scale to the Celsius scale starts with adjusting the Fahrenheit number by removing the offset of 32 degrees that exists between the two scales.

Once you subtract 32 from the Fahrenheit value, you then proceed to scale the result to Celsius by multiplying by the factor of 5/9 (or dividing by 1.8, if you choose to do so in a subsequent step). The reason for the subtraction at the beginning of the calculation is that Fahrenheit measurements are based on a different zero point and degree size compared to Celsius, reflecting the need for an initial adjustment before applying the proportional conversion factor.

Understanding this sequence of operations is fundamental to accurately converting temperatures and helps avoid common mistakes in calculations.