Question

Without the greenhouse effect, the Earth's average temperature would be around -18 or -19 degrees Celsius.
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How do you read -18 or -19?

1. minus eighteen or minus nineteen
2. negative eighteen or negative nineteen

Are both Okay? Which one is commonly used? Do you have another way of reading them?

Answer 1

I believe negative is more commonly used but both seem to be okay. I've only really heard minus when someone's talking about the weather, like minus 10 degrees or 10 degrees below 0.

Answer 2

In the U.S., "minus" is much more commonly used when referring to temperature. We might also say, "It's eighteen degrees below zero."

Answer 3

Reed is correct, but to be fair, not many people (except scientists) in the US use degrees Celsius anyway!