Final answer:
The first step when converting a temperature in degrees Fahrenheit to degrees Celsius is to subtract 32 from the temperature in Fahrenheit.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first step when converting a temperature in degrees Fahrenheit to degrees Celsius is to subtract 32 from the temperature in Fahrenheit. This is because in the conversion equation 5(F-32)/9 C, the subtraction of 32 accounts for the difference between the freezing points of water on both scales. After subtracting 32, you then divide the result by 5/9 to get the temperature in degrees Celsius.