Convert Megahertz to Hertz
Megahertz to hertz is the conversion you reach for when a clock speed or a radio frequency is quoted in MHz but you need the raw count of cycles per second. One megahertz is exactly 1,000,000 hertz, so the hertz figure always comes out a million times larger.
Megahertz to Hertz conversion table
| Megahertz (MHz) | Hertz (Hz) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1,000,000 |
| 2 | 2,000,000 |
| 3 | 3,000,000 |
| 5 | 5,000,000 |
| 10 | 10,000,000 |
| 20 | 20,000,000 |
| 50 | 50,000,000 |
| 100 | 100,000,000 |
| 500 | 500,000,000 |
| 1,000 | 1,000,000,000 |
The formula
To convert megahertz to hertz, multiply the number of megahertz by 1,000,000:
hertz = megahertz × 1,000,000
A worked example
Say you have 1 MHz and want it in hertz:
1 × 1,000,000 = 1,000,000 Hz
So 1 megahertz is exactly 1,000,000 hertz.
Why the number is exact
The prefix "mega" is defined as exactly one million, so a megahertz is exactly a million hertz — no measurement or rounding is involved. Stepping from MHz to Hz is just moving three decimal places at a time, an exact power of 1000, so 1 MHz is exactly 1,000,000 Hz.
When you'll use it
Reading FM radio dial numbers, older CPU and RAM clock speeds, and radio band frequencies, then dropping them down to the plain cycles-per-second count that formulas and datasheets expect.
Frequently asked questions
How many hertz are in a megahertz?
Exactly 1,000,000 hertz. The prefix 'mega' means one million, so a megahertz is a million cycles per second — a fixed, exact number, not a rounded one.
What does 1 MHz mean in plain terms?
It means one million cycles every second. An FM station at 98 MHz is swinging 98 million times a second, and a 900 MHz radio band ticks 900 million times a second.
Is the megahertz to hertz conversion exact?
Yes. 'Mega' is defined as exactly one million, so 1 MHz is exactly 1,000,000 Hz with nothing rounded away.