Step 1:
The first step to converting 15431.978721079 to a fraction is to re-write 15431.978721079 in the form p/q where p and q are both positive integers. To start with, 15431.978721079 can be written as simply 15431.978721079/1 to technically be written as a fraction.
Step 2:
Next, we will count the number of fractional digits after the decimal point in 15431.978721079, which in this case is 9. For however many digits after the decimal point there are, we will multiply the numerator and denominator of 15431.978721079/1 each by 10 to the power of that many digits. So, in this case, we will multiply the numerator and denominator of 15431.978721079/1 each by 1000000000:
Step 3:
Now the last step is to simplify the fraction (if possible) by finding similar factors and cancelling them out, which leads to the following answer for 15431.978721079 as a fraction:
709871/46 / 1