42 Fahrenheit to Celsius
42 degrees Fahrenheit equals
5.56°C
5.56 degrees Celsius
42°F is 5.56°C: cool enough for a jacket. A refrigerator interior sits in this range, as do early spring and late autumn days across much of the temperate world.
How to convert 42°F to °C
Formula
°C = (°F − 32) × 5/9
Substituting 42°F
- 42 − 32 = 10
- 10 × 5/9 = 5.56
Fahrenheit places the freezing point of water at 32 rather than 0, so that offset comes off first. What remains is then scaled by 5/9, because a Celsius degree covers 1.8 times as much temperature change as a Fahrenheit degree.
How 42°F compares
| Reference point | Temperature | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Freezing point of water | 0°C / 32°F | 5.6°C (10°F) warmer |
| Room temperature | 21°C / 69.8°F | 15.4°C (27.8°F) colder |
| Body temperature | 37°C / 98.6°F | 31.4°C (56.6°F) colder |
| Boiling point of water | 100°C / 212°F | 94.4°C (170°F) colder |