42 Fahrenheit to Celsius
5.6 °C
42 °F = 5.6 °C.
Celsius
5.6°C
42 °F = 5.6 °C
The short answer
How many Celsius is 42 Fahrenheit?
42 °F = 5.6 °C. 1 Fahrenheit = 0.555556 Celsius, then − 17.77777777777778, so the working is 42 × 0.555556 − 17.7778 = 5.6.
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 42 × 0.555556 − 17.7778 = 5.6
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 | 6 | +0.44444 |
| 1 decimal | 5.6 | +0.04444 |
| 2 decimals | 5.56 | +0.00444 |
Round trip: take 5.6 °C back the other way and you land on 42.0800 °F — a drift of 0.0800 °F. That gap is the rounding, not the conversion.
What 42 °F looks like
40 °F
The FDA's advice for a home refrigerator is 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below, equivalent to 4 degrees Celsius.
Frequently asked questions
What is 42 Fahrenheit in Celsius?
42 Fahrenheit is 5.6 Celsius. 1 Fahrenheit = 0.555556 Celsius, then − 17.77777777777778, so the working is 42 × 0.555556 − 17.7778 = 5.6.
How accurate is 5.6 °C?
Rounding to 5.6 °C and converting straight back gives 42.0800 °F, a drift of 0.0800 °F from the 42 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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