Step 1:
The first step to converting 171988 to a fraction is to re-write 171988 in the form p/q where p and q are both positive integers. To start with, 171988 can be written as simply 171988/1 to technically be written as a fraction.
Step 2:
Next, we will count the number of fractional digits after the decimal point in 171988, which in this case is 0. For however many digits after the decimal point there are, we will multiply the numerator and denominator of 171988/1 each by 10 to the power of that many digits. So, in this case, we will multiply the numerator and denominator of 171988/1 each by 1:
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 171988 as a fraction:
171988/1 / 1