Making life easier by degrees.

Making life easier by degrees.

OK. Now that we agree that the right time to start the New Year is on the day after the shortest day of the year, let’s use an easier way to convert degrees F to C (or vice-versa) than by the use of the not-so-good-old formula [̊F] = [̊C] × 9/5 + 32 that we were taught in school.

Yes, I know that works. But why go through all that when all you have to remember is that 1̊C = 1.8̊ F. For example, if the weatherman says that it’s -6F outside right now (that’s what it is here now, BRRRR!) and you want to know what that is on the Centigrade scale you take 32 - 6 = 26
and then divide 26 by 1.8 to get 14.4. Ok, I know, from F to C using the 1.8 factor isn’t much simpler, but when we go from C to F it is! For most of us it is easier to multiply in our heads by 1.8 than divide and when the change is in multiples of ten as in 10̊C = 50̊F (that is 32 + 18 = 50) it gets REALLY EASY!