Step 1:
The first step to converting 171.72842173866 to a fraction is to re-write 171.72842173866 in the form p/q where p and q are both positive integers. To start with, 171.72842173866 can be written as simply 171.72842173866/1 to technically be written as a fraction.
Step 2:
Next, we will count the number of fractional digits after the decimal point in 171.72842173866, which in this case is 11. For however many digits after the decimal point there are, we will multiply the numerator and denominator of 171.72842173866/1 each by 10 to the power of that many digits. So, in this case, we will multiply the numerator and denominator of 171.72842173866/1 each by 100000000000:
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 171.72842173866 as a fraction:
12021/70 / 1