120°F to °C — What is 120 Fahrenheit in Celsius?
120°F = 48.89°C. Use the exact formula (°F − 32) × 5/9 to convert any Fahrenheit temperature to Celsius — algebraically exact with zero rounding, as defined by the NIST.
Answer
120 °F = 48.89 °C
Exact: 48.890000 °C · uses the BIPM-defined constant
How it's calculated
(°F − 32) × 5/9 = °C
Step 1: Apply the formula to the input value.
Step 2: (120 − 32) × 5/9 = 88 × 5/9 = 48.89
What does 120°F feel like?
120°F is hot. Water boils at 212°F at sea level. This range is common for cooking methods: simmering (180–200°F), pasteurisation (161°F), and hot beverages (150–175°F).
120°F in other temperature scales
Celsius
48.89°C
Fahrenheit
120°F
Kelvin
322.04 K
Common temperature references
Key temperatures from science, cooking, and medicine
| °C | °F | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| -40°C | -40°F | °C and °F are equal |
| -18°C | 0°F | Zero Fahrenheit |
| 0°C | 32°F | Water freezes |
| 10°C | 50°F | Cool day |
| 20°C | 68°F | Room temperature |
| 25°C | 77°F | Warm room |
| 37°C | 98.6°F | Body temperature |
| 38°C | 100.4°F | Fever threshold (WHO) |
| 100°C | 212°F | Water boils (sea level) |
| 160°C | 320°F | Low oven |
| 180°C | 356°F | Moderate oven (Gas Mark 4) |
| 200°C | 392°F | Hot oven (Gas Mark 6) |
| 220°C | 428°F | Very hot oven (Gas Mark 7) |
| 250°C | 482°F | Max home oven |
Fahrenheit to Celsius — Nearby Values
Click any row to open its full conversion page
| Fahrenheit (°F) | Celsius (°C) |
|---|---|
| 70 °F | 21.11 °C |
| 75 °F | 23.89 °C |
| 80 °F | 26.67 °C |
| 85 °F | 29.44 °C |
| 90 °F | 32.22 °C |
| 95 °F | 35 °C |
| 100 °F | 37.78 °C |
| 105 °F | 40.56 °C |
| 110 °F | 43.33 °C |
| 115 °F | 46.11 °C |
| 120 °Fthis page | 48.89 °C |
| 125 °F | 51.67 °C |
| 130 °F | 54.44 °C |
| 135 °F | 57.22 °C |
| 140 °F | 60 °C |
| 145 °F | 62.78 °C |
| 150 °F | 65.56 °C |
| 155 °F | 68.33 °C |
| 160 °F | 71.11 °C |
| 165 °F | 73.89 °C |
| 170 °F | 76.67 °C |
Common questions about 120 °F to °C
What is 120°F in Celsius?
120 degrees Fahrenheit equals exactly 48.89 degrees Celsius. The formula is (120 − 32) × 5/9 = 48.89°C. In Kelvin, this is 322.04 K.
How do you convert 120°F to °C step by step?
Step 1: Subtract 32 from 120 to get 88. Step 2: Multiply by 5/9 (or 0.5556). Result: 88 × 5/9 = 48.89°C. This formula is algebraically exact.
Is 120°F hot or cold?
120°F is very hot. Extreme heat conditions — limit outdoor activity.
What is 48.89°C back in Fahrenheit?
48.89°C converts back to exactly 120°F — which is 120°F. The conversion is perfectly reversible using the inverse formula: (°C × 9/5) + 32.
Related Fahrenheit to Celsius Conversions
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Celsius
120 °F=48.89 °C
Formula used
(°F − 32) × 5/9 = °C
Algebraically exact — zero rounding in the formula