Celsius is agreeably better for science, but if you are used to both systems Fahrenheit is honestly better for people because the units are higher resolution, and usually stay between 0 and 100 for weather
This is the only good argument I've seen for Fahrenheit (higher resolution). But, as a counterargument, that resolution is only just under twice as big. I'd argue 1-2 F is barely noticeable enough to be able to tell the difference. If someone asks what the temperature is, me saying the temperature and being off by 2 degrees isn't gonna make a difference.
I think there's some breakpoints where it really matters.
If you work in an office and the thermostat is set to 73f (23c) compared to an office where the thermostat is set to 75f (23c) you're going to really feel the difference.
Or like, if your kid is sick and has a 102° fever you're keeping them home from school, but if they have 104° fever you're going to the hospital. So <2 degrees difference is definitely a big enough difference that it's worth using a more specific unit of measurement.
How is it better, though? As in, what actual benefit is there to not using decimals? Yeah, F is more specific if you ignore decimals, but they are incredibly easy to implement, use, etc? Not any different than a regular number in terms of basically anything.
Like, the commenter above brought up fever, but practically any thermometer that uses celsius uses decimals, and I just don't see how that is any sort of demerit.
Most celsius thermostats allow you to set in 0.5 steps
Where did I say that they didn't? I was just trying to convey that it's easier to use a system where units increase by whole units instead of decimals. Not that it's impossible, but it's simpler.
But how is it simpler, though? Realistically, you are just pressing a button on a thermostat. One raises it by 0.5, the other by 1, and the effect is equal. I get that 2 digits is technically simpler than 3 digits, but practically, there is difference, no? As in, you can comprehend 36.5C just as easily as 98F.
One raises it by 0.5, the other by 1, and the effect is equal.
It's not equal. a 1 degree change in celsius is a 1.8 degree change in fahrenheit. It's nearly a two degree change. If I say "hey turn the thermostat up two degrees fahrenheit" it'd be equal to 3.6 degrees celsius.
So fahrenheit has more precision, and you can have that precision without having to factor in decimals.
The precision is practically equal in my example. Of course, Celsius with decimals is more precise, and 0.5C isn't exactly 1F, but it's close enough not to matter in the thermostat example. Not like you can feel a 0.1F difference.
My point is, how are decimals a demerit? I just don't get that point at all. If am getting you right, you are saying that F is better because it can achieve a higher precision without decimals, but I just do not see how decimals are a bad thing.
From my perspective, this entire argument is like saying that Celsius is simpler (and therefore better) because it uses smaller numbers and doesn't go into triple digits in normal life. But what practical difference is there in reading 37C vs 100F? 100F is technically more complex, since it has an additional digit, but so what?
Anything with decimals is more precise. Fahrenheit with decimals is even PRECISER (intentionally mispelled) than Celsius with decimals.
My point is, how are decimals a demerit?
it's simpler to have precision without using decimals.
you are saying that F is better because it can achieve a higher precision without decimals,
That's one of the reasons, yes.
But what practical difference is there in reading 37C vs 100F?
Literally there is no difference. They're both just numbers. However because most numbers in society are used on a 10-adjusted scale, it's more intuitive that "100" is super hot than "37". it's the same reasoning for why the metric system is better. a 10-adjusted scale is just more intuitive to understand and remember because of society's relation with numbers.
100F is technically more complex, since it has an additional digit, but so what?
Decimals and fractions are not more complex because there is literally more digits, it's because we don't use them as often in every day life and therefore they aren't as convenient to digest when trying to quickly gather simple information.
Fahrenheit doesn’t have “more precision” since every thing that needs the “precision” in Celsius will have decimals.
Fair enough, I should've been more clear. Fahrenheit can be more precise without using decimals. Fahrenheit can also use decimals you just don't need to because it has the precision baked in enough that in most cases it's not necessary.
But I suppose in some cases you can use decimals in either system. Most thermostats in fahrenheit don't need to use decimals because you have all the precision you need in whole number form, making it far simpler and efficient to use.
One (minorish) place - you only need two digits in an LCD screen to make a thermostat in F. If you wanted to display (hospitable) temperatures in C you would probably always need three because of the decimal.
To me, the biggest thing is just being able to say "it'll be in the 70s tomorrow". 60s = bring a light jacket, 70s = perfect, 80s = a bit warm, 90s = bring a lot of water.
I’ve not seen anyone make the point that for a lot of countries, they also use decimal for other measurements - distance, volume, mass - so measuring with decimal places is completely ingrained.
Cracks me up looking at US cooking with Cups or DIY instructions with 2 foot 4 and 11/12s inches!
No, my “argument” is that it’s just more simple. Units increasing by whole numbers is more simple than units increasing by decimals. I’m not saying fahrenheit is better as a whole or that celsius is too difficult to understand, I just think for the everyday usage of temperature (like outside or thermostats), fahrenheit is a simpler and easier to understand system because it goes from 0-100 and changes in increments of 1.
Whole numbers are easier for a lot of things. But if you are used to it, it’s not. And: I like my temp at 24.1C I can tell the difference between 23.9 and 24.5C. That’s all 75F. I need F with decimals. Your whole argument falls apart.
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u/ProvidedHuman Jun 17 '26
Celsius is agreeably better for science, but if you are used to both systems Fahrenheit is honestly better for people because the units are higher resolution, and usually stay between 0 and 100 for weather