What is the formula for changing degrees in Fahrenheit to degrees in Celsius?

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The formula for converting degrees Fahrenheit to degrees Celsius is correctly represented as Celsius = 5/9 [F - 32]. This equation arises from the relationship between the two temperature scales.

In this conversion, the first part of the formula, F - 32, accounts for the fact that the freezing point of water is 32 degrees Fahrenheit (which corresponds to 0 degrees Celsius). By subtracting 32 from the Fahrenheit temperature, you adjust the scale to start from the freezing point of water.

Next, the fraction 5/9 is used to account for the difference in the size of the degrees on the two scales. One degree Celsius represents a change of 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit (or 9/5), so when you've adjusted for the freezing point by subtracting 32, multiplying by 5/9 converts this adjusted temperature into its Celsius equivalent.

This understanding makes clear why the other options do not correctly represent the conversion. They either misplace the constants or incorrectly manipulate the structure of the equation, leading to inaccurate results.

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