Centigrade To Celsius Converter

What is a Centigrade to Celsius Conversion?

A Centigrade to Celsius conversion is less of a mathematical conversion and more of a clarification of terminology. The terms "Centigrade" and "Celsius" refer to the exact same temperature scale. "Centigrade" is the original name for the scale, derived from the Latin words "centum" (one hundred) and "gradus" (steps), referring to the 100 degrees between the freezing and boiling points of water. In 1948, the scale was officially renamed "Celsius" in honor of the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius, who first proposed it.

Therefore, the relationship is always a direct one-to-one mapping:

1° Centigrade = 1° Celsius

Our converter serves to demonstrate this identity and clear up any confusion between the two names.

How to Use the Centigrade to Celsius Converter

This tool is designed to illustrate the equivalence of the two terms.

1. Enter a Value: Type any temperature value into the "Degrees Centigrade (°C)" field.
2. View the Identical Result: The "Degrees Celsius (°C)" field will instantly display the exact same number, confirming that the scales are identical.

The Conversion Formula

The "formula" for converting Centigrade to Celsius is simply an identity function.

$$ \text{Degrees Celsius} = \text{Degrees Centigrade} $$

Practical Example: Reading an Old Text

Imagine you are reading a scientific paper or a novel from the early 20th century, and it mentions a temperature of 20 degrees Centigrade. You need to understand what this means in modern terms.

• Known Value: 20 degrees Centigrade
• Using the calculator: Entering "20" in the Centigrade field instantly shows 20 in the Celsius field.
• Conclusion: You know immediately that 20 degrees Centigrade is the same as the modern 20 degrees Celsius.

While this conversion is simple, it's a useful piece of knowledge for historical context. For actual temperature conversions between different scales, you can use our Celsius to Fahrenheit Converter or the more comprehensive Temperature Converter. For weather-related calculations, you might enjoy our Crickets Chirping Thermometer.

Why Was the Name Changed?

• Clarity: The term "centigrade" could be confused with "centigrad," which is one-hundredth of a gradian, a unit of angular measurement.
• Standardization: Renaming the scale to "Celsius" brought it in line with the convention of naming units after the scientists who developed them, such as Kelvin, Fahrenheit, Ampere, and Volt.
• International Agreement: The change was formalized at the 9th General Conference on Weights and Measures to create a single, unambiguous international standard.

For more on the history of scientific units, the website of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) provides a detailed timeline. For fun science facts, you can visit resources like Science Focus magazine.