Step 1:
The first step to converting 172987.715997 to a fraction is to re-write 172987.715997 in the form p/q where p and q are both positive integers. To start with, 172987.715997 can be written as simply 172987.715997/1 to technically be written as a fraction.
Step 2:
Next, we will count the number of fractional digits after the decimal point in 172987.715997, which in this case is 6. For however many digits after the decimal point there are, we will multiply the numerator and denominator of 172987.715997/1 each by 10 to the power of that many digits. So, in this case, we will multiply the numerator and denominator of 172987.715997/1 each by 1000000:
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 172987.715997 as a fraction:
518963/3 / 1