Question

An Associated Press article on climate change said, "Some of the ice shelf’s disappearance was probably during times when the planet was 36 degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius) to 37 degrees Fahrenheit (3 degrees Celsius) warmer than it is today." What mistake did the reporter make?

a) Misinterpreting data
b) Incorrect conversion between Fahrenheit and Celsius
c) No mistake
d) Ambiguous statement

Answer 1

The reporter made an incorrect conversion between Fahrenheit and Celsius, as 2 degrees Celsius equals 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit and 3 degrees Celsius equals 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step-by-step explanation:

The mistake the reporter made is b) Incorrect conversion between Fahrenheit and Celsius. The temperature conversion from Celsius to Fahrenheit is incorrect because a temperature difference of 2 degrees Celsius is equivalent to a difference of 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, not 36 degrees as mentioned. Furthermore, a 3 degrees Celsius difference equals 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit, not 37 degrees. Higher global temperatures, such as increases of 2 or 3 degrees Celsius, are scientifically significant and can lead to serious climate impacts, including rising sea levels, glacier retreat, and heat levels that may threaten human habitability in some regions without access to air conditioning.