College

The graph below shows the conversion between degrees Celsius (°C) and degrees Fahrenheit (°F).

If the temperature drops by 10°C, how many degrees Fahrenheit does the temperature drop by?

Degrees Fahrenheit against degrees Celsius

Degrees Fahrenheit (°F)
70
60
50
40
30
20
10

Degrees Celsius (°C)
20
15
10
5
0

Answer :

If the temperature drops by 10°C, then the degree Fahrenheit fall would be 18 degrees.

To find out how many degrees Fahrenheit the temperature drops by when it decreases by 10°C, use the given points on the graph, (0, 32) and (10, 50), to determine the rate of change between Celsius and Fahrenheit.

Slope = (change in Fahrenheit) / (change in Celsius)

Using the given points:

Change in Fahrenheit = 50 - 32

= 18

Change in Celsius = 10 - 0

= 10

The slope (rate of change):

= 18 / 10

= 1.8

If the temperature drops by 10°C, multiply the rate of change by -10 to find how many degrees Fahrenheit the temperature drops by:

Drop in Fahrenheit:

= 1.8 * (-10)

= -18°F

Final answer:

A temperature decrease by 10°C equates to a decrease of 18°F, considering the conversion factor where 1°C is equivalent to 1.8°F.

Explanation:

The question asks: If the temperature drops by 10°C, how many degrees Fahrenheit does the temperature drop by? This involves understanding the relationship between Celsius and Fahrenheit scales. One degree Celsius is equivalent to 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, a drop in temperature by 10°C translates to a decrease in temperature by 18°F since 10°C * 1.8 = 18°F.