Step 1:
The first step to converting 173868.81996217 to a fraction is to re-write 173868.81996217 in the form p/q where p and q are both positive integers. To start with, 173868.81996217 can be written as simply 173868.81996217/1 to technically be written as a fraction.
Step 2:
Next, we will count the number of fractional digits after the decimal point in 173868.81996217, which in this case is 8. For however many digits after the decimal point there are, we will multiply the numerator and denominator of 173868.81996217/1 each by 10 to the power of that many digits. So, in this case, we will multiply the numerator and denominator of 173868.81996217/1 each by 100000000:
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 173868.81996217 as a fraction:
869344/5 / 1