How to Teach Yourself to Read Celsius

Sally's Trove

Virtually of u.s. know that different people learn in different means. For case, some learn all-time past reading or listening, some past hands-on experience, and some through visual stimulation.

I know that my best learning way is through visual stimulation. Give me a bar graph or a pie chart, and I'll retain the information it represents, but requite me a tabular array of figures and I'll recall almost nothing, even a short time afterward. And please, don't recite data without giving me something to view at the same time; I guarantee that within a few seconds I'll stop listening while I imagine myself basking in the sunday on a white sand beach.

Scientists take plant that different abilities and modes of learning can be associated with either the left or the right side of the brain. Just stated, the left brain modes of learning include sequential, symbolic, and linear (retrieve language and mathematics), while the right brain modes include holistic, concrete, and intuitive learning modes (remember visualization and imagination).

Traditional instructional models appeal more to left-brain characteristics, requiring us to read, listen, and translate symbols. However, some of us "get it" more effectively with models that present data in less linear but more visual and holistic ways.

When it comes to learning to convert Fahrenheit to Celsius and the other mode around, visual cues may make the task easier for those who are more right-encephalon oriented.

How Did Most of Us Learn to Convert Fahrenheit and Celsius?

Through a Mathematical Formula, of Form

When we were taught in school to convert Fahrenheit to Celsius, or the other way around, information technology was probably through this mathematical formula:

C = F - 32 (5/9)

F = (C x nine/5) + 32

Some of usa may also have learned a quick play a joke on, a mental math shortcut, for roughly estimating the conversions by using one-half instead of five-ninths, two instead of nine-fifths, and thirty instead of 32:

C = (F - xxx) / 2

F = (C 10 2) + 30

Some learners may too have committed the conversions to retentivity (whether using the precise numbers or their shortcuts) by reading them every bit a text narrative and and then reciting them:

To get Celsius, subtract 30 from the Fahrenheit and and then divide by ii.

To get Fahrenheit, multiply the Celsius by two and so subtract xxx.

Read More From Owlcation

Right-brain learners who don't retain information well by reading it, hearing it, or processing a mathematical formula might have better luck with a visual arroyo.

The Circular F / C Thermometer

Although I find this thermometer pattern attractive, I take problem "seeing" the relationships between the two degree systems when they are arranged in an arc.

Stilfehler

The Vertical F / C Thermometer

The thermometer outside my kitchen window, on my porch. I can "see" the relationships between F and C degrees much more than easily in this vertical format, as opposed to the circular format.

Sally's Trove

A Visual Right-brain Approach to Converting Fahrenheit and Celsius

I've been spending a skilful deal of time in these last months outside on my front porch, looking at the outdoor thermometer (and the rhododendron), trying to will jump into an early on arrival. While looking at the thermometer, which displays in both Fahrenheit and Celsius, I got to thinking virtually friends of mine in countries other than the United states of america, other places such equally the Cayman Islands and Belize, where Celsius is used to describe temperature.

The other day, on a Skype conversation, a Canadian friend told me information technology was a rather prissy day, nine degrees Celsius. Well, I knew it wasn't freezing, because zero Celsius would non necessarily indicate a nice twenty-four hour period, just no clan with the Fahrenheit equivalent popped into my caput fast enough for me to say something like, "Sounds like you don't need that down parka today." I actually couldn't grasp a good idea of what kind of temperature she was experiencing fast enough to keep me from feeling, if not uneducated, at least awkward.

One forenoon shortly thereafter, while out on my forepart porch ruing wintertime's continued presence, it came to me in a moment of inspiration that I didn't have to remember any formulas or whatsoever strings of text. All I had to do was take a mental snapshot of the relationships of numbers as they appeared on the confront of my thermometer.

I noticed that between +10 and +100 degrees F, the temperature range I'm nearly likely to be exposed to in the northeast U.s.a. where I live, the respective Celsius numbers range from -ten to approximately +35. I instantly saw a visual relationship that at once cemented in my listen that my 10-degree F temperature is my Canadian friend'due south -ten degree Celsius temperature. Likewise, at the other stop of my probable exposure range, my 100 and her 35 now burned themselves into a mental image.

To this visual image I added the equivalents I already knew: My friend's nil is my +32 (the freezing mark) and her 37 is my 98.6 (human normal body temperature).

Here's what I meet in my heed:

Sally'southward Trove

Although I at present take a proficient grip on 10 and -10, 32 and 0, and 98.6 and 37, I'g however quite a way from knowing whether information technology's a light sweater day or a tank top and shorts day when I hear the temperature in Celsius. So information technology'south time to make another mental image. I think well-nigh my ideal outdoor solar day where I tin wearable jeans, sandals, and a cotton wool shirt in total comfort. For me, that's virtually 70 degrees F. Simply when it gets to exist eighty degrees F, it's fourth dimension for shorts and a tank tiptop.

Hither is what I now see:

Emerge's Trove

Granted, there are many gaps to fill in, but now I take a mental image that allows me to not feel similar an idiot when my Canadian friend says, "OMG, it's 35 hither!" Now I can readily sympathise and say, "I hope you're in your shorts and tank top!"

How F / C Conversion-able Are Yous?

The Visual Arroyo Illuminates the Math

Another souvenir presented itself while I was looking for visual cues to estimate Fahrenheit and Celsius conversions. I realized that for every five-degree change in Celsius, there was an judge ten-caste modify in Fahrenheit. This realization helped me fill in the gaps of my mental images. If I hear "30 degrees C" I jump back to the 0 / 32 equivalent burned into my encephalon cells, quickly compute that at that place are six fives in xxx, so at that place must be lx (ten F degrees for every 5 C degrees) Fahrenheit degrees above freezing, and thus I know that the temperature at 30 degrees C is my gauge 90 degrees.

Equally y'all've guessed past now, I'd actually come to a formula, based on my front-porch experiences watching temperatures displayed in both C and F, that closely approximates the C = (F - 30) / 2 and F = (C x 2) + 30 estimation calculations I described earlier. The bespeak is that my learning manner required that I brand visual or holistic sense out of something earlier I could detect a permanent place for information technology in my mind. Just memorizing a simple pair of formulas would non practise.

Don't Take a Thermometer Handy just Need To Know the Temperature?

Here'south an unusual mode to tell estimate outdoor temperature using a rhododendron shrub:

Give the Right Brain Arroyo a Endeavor

Right brain, left brain learning theory is far more complex than what I've described hither. Even so, I wanted to give you an example of how a right-encephalon learning process tin work should you want to empathize with a friend nigh weather conditions when both of you lot live in Fahrenheit / Celsius opposing universes.

In case you are wondering, it took me hours to write this article, just only minutes to establish a working method for converting Fahrenheit and Celsius, once I made the pictures in my listen. With images of icicles, penguins, jeans, tank tops, and oral thermometers at home in my brain, the balance came easily, including the doubling-dorsum to the quick-play a joke on estimating method.

If you've had difficulty making quick conversions from ane degree arrangement to another, requite the right-encephalon approach a endeavor. I wonder what kinds of images yous'll come upwards with?

© 2012 Sally'south Trove. All rights reserved.

Liz Elias from Oakley, CA on January 04, 2016:

Congrats on HOTD!! Well washed. I don't exercise math. I tin't remember formulas. I'thousand doing well to just proceed my checkbook balanced. So your visual cues were great.

I did notice one time before when studying such a dual-system thermometer, however, that at a certain point below cypher (I forget exactly, but I retrieve information technology's about 20 degrees below--the differences cipher out too, and it is the same temperature on both the F and C scales....it may be when it's colder than that, simply if you expect at your round thermo image, you'll see the differences shrinking at effectually the 40 beneath mark... ;-)

Kristen Howe from Northeast Ohio on January 04, 2016:

Emerge, slap-up hub. Congrats on HOTD! Now I knew why I had such a bad time with math in my pedagogy. This is so informative and interesting at the same time.

LongTimeMother from Australia on January 04, 2016:

I greatly enjoyed this hub, but in that location's a mistake you might like to correct. Where you wrote "To get Fahrenheit, multiply the Celsius past 2 and then subtract 30", yous should actually exist adding 30 ... non subtracting it.

As y'all may have guessed, I larn more hands from words non pictures. :)

BristolBoy from Bristol on Jan 12, 2014:

I am from the Uk (where the older generation withal employ Fahrenheit just the majority use Celsius) and I am able to change between the two adequately hands!

Sherri (author) from Southeastern Pennsylvania on June 27, 2012:

Partly in jest, only because Americans don't desire to motility from our ain standards to anyone else'south? Clearly the rest of the globe (generally) agrees among themselves, and then there is united states of america, US. :) Big topic.

Thanks for reading, finding interest, and commenting, MartieCoester.

Martie Coetser from South Africa on June 27, 2012:

Very interesting hub. Nosotros are working in C then I constantly have to convert F to C in order to get half an thought of what the temperatures exactly are in countries working in F. I cannot understand why this have to exist - why not determine an international measurement?

Mohan Kumar from U.k. on June 27, 2012:

As a post grad teacher I am well versed on right encephalon left brain and try to model my teaching ( whether information technology is the physical clinical values or abstract consultation theories) to straddle all learning styles. It is ever a struggle to get the balance right. The analog right brain and the digital left brain are in constant debate specially when i predominates in ane's style.

You take done it so wonderfully well with this concept such an illustrative instance on right encephalon learning. Fantastic. Your tone, the development of the thought and build up to a comprehensive, pragmatic and mutual sense arroyo is utterly fascinating. Dearest it. voted up and crawly!

Sherri (author) from Southeastern Pennsylvania on March xvi, 2012:

Millionaire Tips, I'thou so glad y'all risked a headache to read this hub. It's great to know the visual, right encephalon approach is helpful to you lot. Thanks so much for the bully comment and the vote. :)

Shasta Matova from USA on March 16, 2012:

Thinking about converting temperatures makes my caput injure, and I was really going to avert reading this hub, just like I just avert making the conversion, even when I know information technology would exist proficient for me to know the temperature during my vacation. Mostly, because I tin can't seem to go on that formula in my head. But I am so glad that I did read this hub, considering what yous said makes a lot of sense to me at present. Your visual graphic helped a lot. Voted up.

Sherri (author) from Southeastern Pennsylvania on March thirteen, 2012:

Cheers for your super comment, MizBejabbers. I Dear being appreciated! :)

Doris James MizBejabbers from Beautiful South on March 13, 2012:

Hey, thanks! Just the other twenty-four hour period I was trying to remember the conversion from C to F because a temperature overseas was given in C. I did remember something almost adding 32, only I couldn't remember the formula. I was as well lazy to go look it up. Voted you lot up. There needs to be an "appreciated" button.

Sherri (author) from Southeastern Pennsylvania on March 12, 2012:

LOL, Steph! Thanks for reading and leaving the cool comments. :)

Thank you, Gus! Glad you enjoyed.

Sherri (author) from Southeastern Pennsylvania on March 12, 2012:

@Trish, yes, I know you well my love friend! I wrote this one for you so your caput wouldn't have to spin likewise far and too fast. lol

@Peggy, that's what I was goin' for, stickability! Whether it's in terms of the elementary formula or the visual approach. Thank you and so much for the votes and share. :)

Gustave Kilthau from U.s.a. on March xi, 2012:

Hullo Sally's_Trove - Hot or cold, this article was fun to read.

Gus :-)))

Stephanie Marshall from Bend, Oregon on March 11, 2012:

I started reading this, but then had to go out to go paint a picture and listen to some music. (LOL!) But seriously, a very helpful hub - for those of us not carrying around our smart phones with calculators or apps to aid united states of america with a Celsius/Fahrenheit conversion.

Thank you, Steph

Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on March 11, 2012:

Very interesting reminder of how to convert Fahrenheit to Celsius and vice versa. After reading this hub that formula may stay in my mind for a while. Thanks! Interesting and useful votes and will share!

trish1048 on March 11, 2012:

I found this to be an enjoyable read. When I saw the title I idea, gee, this is non something I can embrace, given my disfavor to math.

I found it interesting to actually meet how your brain works :)

Every bit to the topic, your two judgement formula wowed me. To go Celsius, subtract 30 from the Fahrenheit and then divide past two. To become Fahrenheit, multiply the Celsius by ii and then subtract 30.

How elementary! Which brings me to why would y'all want to practice all those mental gyrations when two sentences sum it up? :)

I'm with Anne. I share her dislike of math. Merely the idea of trying to figure out the differences in temps, miles or currency for that matter, makes my head spin. Y'all know me, I want the answers without having to figure information technology all out :)

Feline Prophet on March 08, 2012:

See now, we felines are surprising creatures! We can talk almost the darnedest things!! :D

Sherri (author) from Southeastern Pennsylvania on March 08, 2012:

LOL, FP. Spring isn't inappreciably on its way here, let alone summer. Yes, 33 C is pretty toasty; if I were at that place, I'd be in shorts and a tank (don't know how acceptable that would be!).

Growing upward in the The states, I know F, and truthfully, before the internet, unless you were in a scientific subject, C (called Centigrade then) was of no interest.

I like your apply of the word "implies". In that location are implications all over the identify, not merely belonging to measurement conversions. It depends on how we want to see and utilize implications if we want to ameliorate relate to others around the world.

I've never had a conversation with a feline about this. :)

Feline Prophet on March 07, 2012:

So, it'southward 33 degrees Celsius here, and I judge you'll have figured out summer's on its way earlier I complete the sentence! :)

Growing up in India we never paid much attending to Fahrenheit and complicated conversions - it's simply with the widening of my horizons later on the Cyberspace that I have to try to figure out what the temperature in the US, for case, implies in Celsius!

Sherri (author) from Southeastern Pennsylvania on March 07, 2012:

Glad to put your brain to work, Sunshine. It's nice to have such company. :)

Sherri (author) from Southeastern Pennsylvania on March 07, 2012:

UW, exactly right! Just for some of us right-brain learners, something that like shooting fish in a barrel is still difficult to grasp...unless there'southward a visual learning cue first. And can you go every bit easily the other manner? :)

Linda Bilyeu from Orlando, FL on March 07, 2012:

Oh Sally, You are going to make me think and use my brain aren't you? Well you actually did and thank you!:)

Very interesting hub...who would have thought just past you lot studying your thermostat you created this hub. Now that'due south what I phone call creative and using both sides of your brain. Way to go!

Susan Keeping from Kitchener, Ontario on March 07, 2012:

I usually only double the Celsius temperature and add 30. Not too scientific but close enough :)

Excellent idea for a hub :)

Sherri (author) from Southeastern Pennsylvania on March 07, 2012:

Hi Eddy! Cheers and so much for the proficient words and the vote. :)

Eiddwen from Wales on March 07, 2012:

Then very interesting.

I vote upward and here's to many more than likewise.

Take care;

Eddy.

Sherri (author) from Southeastern Pennsylvania on March 07, 2012:

@annemaeve, give thanks you so much for your supportive words. Yes, I know math tin can bore y'all to death. I really wrote this commodity for you lot. ;)

@iamaudraleigh, give thanks you for the skillful words and the vote. :)

@Woody Marx, yous are right that this strategy tin be used in learning other subjects. One of my favorite examples is learning anatomy (botany, biology, and more) past drawing what you lot observe. As for speed displayed in miles and kilometers, I believe virtually vehicles on the road today in the United states display both, but of course, that doesn't mean anybody is comfortable with both. You've got me thinking now! Thanks for your thoughtful comment. ~Sherri

Woody Marx from Ontario, Canada on March 07, 2012:

Really fascinating and something to keep on experimenting with. It could be applied, of class, to many other subjects that are traditionally merely left-brain pursuits. Things like chemistry formulas,learning musical notation,and so on. The metric system we have here in Canada is not in miles only kilometres, certainly something your organisation would apply to so that going over the speed limit for U.Due south. visitors would be less a worry, or 'but how far is it to Montreal anyway?' etc. :)

iamaudraleigh on March 06, 2012:

You lot have written a very well written hub. I too like the formatting. Voted upward!

annemaeve from Philly Burbs on March 06, 2012:

Excellent Hub on a tricky topic, Sally! As y'all know, it's frighteningly easy to bore me to tears on math-related subjects, but I non but understood this whole piece, I enjoyed reading it! What'southward going to stick in my caput is trunk temp at 37 C - a hot hot summertime twenty-four hours.

Dearest you, dear your hubs.

lawsonhavern.blogspot.com

Source: https://owlcation.com/stem/Using-Your-Right-Brain-To-Convert-Fahrenheit-to-Celsius

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