# Fahrenheit to Delisle (°F to °De)

Source: https://www.unitconvertercalculator.com/temperature/fahrenheit-to-delisle/

To convert Fahrenheit to Delisle, use the formula: De = (212 - F) x 5/6. The Fahrenheit scale is the American everyday temperature standard, while the Delisle scale is the inverted 18th-century Russian scale. Water freezes at 32 degrees F (150 De) and boils at 212 degrees F (0 De).

## Formula

°F via Kelvin to °De

## Conversion Table

| Fahrenheit (°F) | Delisle (°De) |
|---|---|
| -40 °F | 210 °De |
| 0 °F | 176.66666666667 °De |
| 10 °F | 168.33333333333 °De |
| 20 °F | 160 °De |
| 32 °F | 150 °De |
| 40 °F | 143.33333333334 °De |
| 50 °F | 135 °De |
| 60 °F | 126.66666666666 °De |
| 68 °F | 120 °De |
| 72 °F | 116.66666666667 °De |
| 75 °F | 114.16666666666 °De |
| 80 °F | 109.99999999999 °De |
| 90 °F | 101.66666666667 °De |
| 98.6 °F | 94.5 °De |
| 100 °F | 93.33333333333 °De |
| 120 °F | 76.666666666665 °De |
| 150 °F | 51.66666666666 °De |
| 200 °F | 10.000000000005 °De |
| 212 °F | 0 °De |
| 250 °F | -31.666666666665 °De |
| 300 °F | -73.333333333335 °De |
| 350 °F | -115.00000000001 °De |
| 400 °F | -156.66666666666 °De |
| 450 °F | -198.33333333333 °De |
| 500 °F | -240 °De |

## Units

### Fahrenheit (°F)

A temperature scale where 32°F is the freezing point and 212°F is the boiling point of water. Primarily used in the United States.

### Delisle (°De)

A historical inverted temperature scale invented by Joseph-Nicolas Delisle in 1732. Water boils at 0 °De and freezes at 150 °De. Higher numbers mean colder temperatures.

## Background

The Fahrenheit scale was created by Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit, 1724, dominant in the US. The Delisle scale was created by Joseph-Nicolas Delisle, French astronomer, 1732, used in Russia. Converting between them bridges different eras and different measurement philosophies in the history of thermometry.

## Good to Know

The history of temperature measurement is the history of scientific collaboration and competition across borders. The Fahrenheit scale (dominant in the US) and the Delisle scale (used in Russia) represent different national contributions to solving the same fundamental problem: how to assign numbers to the sensation of hot and cold.

## FAQ

### How do you convert Fahrenheit to Delisle?

Use the formula De = (212 - F) x 5/6. At the freezing point of water: 32 F = 150 De. At the boiling point: 212 F = 0 De.

### When would you need to convert Fahrenheit to Delisle?

This conversion is needed when interpreting historical scientific records, comparing temperature data across different measurement traditions, or completing engineering calculations that mix temperature scales from different national standards.

### What are the key reference points for both scales?

Water freezes at 32 F = 150 De. Water boils at 212 F = 0 De. These two fixed points anchor both scales and provide easy verification of any conversion calculation.

## Non-Frequently Asked Questions

### If Americans adopted every obscure temperature scale, how many thermometers would they need?

At least seven: Fahrenheit, Celsius, Kelvin, Rankine, Delisle, Newton, Reaumur, and Romer. An eight-scale thermometer would need a very wide display. Americans already struggle with one metric conversion (Celsius); adding six more would cause a national measurement crisis.

### Why did Fahrenheit choose such strange reference points?

Fahrenheit calibrated his scale using three points: a brine ice mixture (0 F), plain ice water (32 F), and human body temperature (96 F - later revised to 98.6). These points made sense for his laboratory work but seem arbitrary to modern users. The resulting scale is perfectly functional but aesthetically unsatisfying.

### Could Fahrenheit survive if the US adopted metric for everything else?

Fahrenheit might survive even if the US adopted metric universally. Weather is deeply personal - people know what 72 F feels like in their bones. Metrication could change road signs, food labels, and science classrooms, but changing how 330 million people perceive comfort might be the hardest conversion of all.

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## See Also

- [Delisle to Fahrenheit](https://www.unitconvertercalculator.com/temperature/delisle-to-fahrenheit/)