120 Fahrenheit to Celsius
48.9 °C
120 °F = 48.9 °C.
Celsius
48.9°C
120 °F = 48.9 °C
The short answer
How many Celsius is 120 Fahrenheit?
120 °F = 48.9 °C. 1 Fahrenheit = 0.555556 Celsius, then − 17.77777777777778, so the working is 120 × 0.555556 − 17.7778 = 48.9.
The working
The factor below is an exact definition rather than a measurement, so nothing is approximated in the arithmetic. The only rounding on this page happens where a number is displayed.
1 Fahrenheit = 0.555556 Celsius, then − 17.77777777777778 120 × 0.555556 − 17.7778 = 48.9
How much precision do you need?
Each row is the same answer cut at a different number of decimals, with what that choice costs you. Pick the shortest row whose error is smaller than whatever you are measuring with.
| Rounded to | Answer (°C) | Off by |
|---|---|---|
| Whole number | 49 | +0.11111 |
| 1 decimal | 48.9 | +0.01111 |
| 2 decimals | 48.89 | +0.00111 |
Round trip: take 48.9 °C back the other way and you land on 120.0200 °F — a drift of 0.0200 °F. That gap is the rounding, not the conversion.
What 120 °F looks like
120 °F
The Department of Energy recommends 120 Fahrenheit for a storage water heater, low enough to cut scalding risk and standby heat loss.
Frequently asked questions
What is 120 Fahrenheit in Celsius?
120 Fahrenheit is 48.9 Celsius. 1 Fahrenheit = 0.555556 Celsius, then − 17.77777777777778, so the working is 120 × 0.555556 − 17.7778 = 48.9.
How accurate is 48.9 °C?
Rounding to 48.9 °C and converting straight back gives 120.0200 °F, a drift of 0.0200 °F from the 120 you started with. The factor itself is exact; every bit of that difference comes from the rounding, not the conversion.
Nearby values
Any value at all
Fahrenheit to Celsius Converter
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