Question

Show that -40 F is approximately equal to -40 C.

Answer 1

Answer: Please see below the explanation.

Explanation:

The Celsius (ºC) and Farenheit (ºF), are different temperature scales, but both have identifiable values for two important physical phenomena, water freezing point and water boiling point.

For º C, these are follows:

Freezing Point= 0º C            Boiling Point: 100ºC

For º F, we have the following:

Freezing Point= 32º F            Boiling Point: 212 ºF

Assuming that all steps (in each scale) between two following values are equal, we have 100 º C between both points in ºC, and 190º in ºF, so degrees in Farenheit are "shorter" than in Celsius, being the relationship, approximately the following:

1 º C = 9/5 ºF.

Taking into account that, by definition, 0ºC = 32º F, we can use the following equations in order to convert ºC to ºF, and viceversa:

ºC = (ºF-32) 5/9    

ºF = 32 + 9/5ºC

Now, let's calculate -40ºF, in ºC:

ºC= (-40-32)* 5/9 = -40º C

Let's do the same, converting -40ºC to ºF:

ºF = 32 + (-40)*9/5 = 32 + (-72) = -40ºF.