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NCERT Exemplar · Q2

Q.A measured temperature on Fahrenheit scale is 200 °F. What will this reading be on Celsius scale?

(i) 40 °C
(ii) 94 °C
(iii) 93.3 °C
(iv) 30 °C
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✓ Free question

Convert Fahrenheit to Celsius using the linear relationship between the two scales; 200 °F = 93.3 °C.

Temperature scales are human constructs that assign numbers to the physical sensation of hot and cold. The Fahrenheit and Celsius scales differ in both their zero points and the size of their degree intervals. Fahrenheit sets water's freezing point at 32 °F and boiling at 212 °F (a 180-degree span), while Celsius uses 0 °C and 100 °C (a 100-degree span). The conversion formula captures this linear relationship.

C=59(F−32)C = \frac{5}{9}(F - 32)

This formula works because we first shift the Fahrenheit reading down by 32 to align the zero points, then scale by 59\frac{5}{9} to account for the different degree sizes (since 180 Fahrenheit degrees equal 100 Celsius degrees, and 100180=59\frac{100}{180} = \frac{5}{9}).

Step-by-step conversion:

  1. Identify the given temperature.

    We have F=200F = 200 °F.

  2. Subtract the offset.

    The Fahrenheit scale is shifted by 32 degrees relative to Celsius at the freezing point of water:

F−32=200−32=168F - 32 = 200 - 32 = 168

  1. Apply the scaling factor. Since Fahrenheit degrees are smaller than Celsius degrees (it takes 1.8 °F to equal 1 °C), we multiply by 59\frac{5}{9}:

C=59×168C = \frac{5}{9} \times 168

  1. Calculate the result.

C=5×1689=8409=93.3‾ °CC = \frac{5 \times 168}{9} = \frac{840}{9} = 93.\overline{3} \text{ °C}

This is exactly 93.393.3 °C (with the 3 repeating).

Watch out

A common mistake is to use 95\frac{9}{5} instead of 59\frac{5}{9}, or to forget the subtraction of 32. Remember: Fahrenheit → Celsius requires subtracting 32 first, then multiplying by 59\frac{5}{9}. The reverse (Celsius → Fahrenheit) uses F=95C+32F = \frac{9}{5}C + 32.

✓Final answer

The correct option is (iii) 93.3 °C.

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