Step 1:
The first step to converting 21538.9438 to a fraction is to re-write 21538.9438 in the form p/q where p and q are both positive integers. To start with, 21538.9438 can be written as simply 21538.9438/1 to technically be written as a fraction.
Step 2:
Next, we will count the number of fractional digits after the decimal point in 21538.9438, which in this case is 4. For however many digits after the decimal point there are, we will multiply the numerator and denominator of 21538.9438/1 each by 10 to the power of that many digits. So, in this case, we will multiply the numerator and denominator of 21538.9438/1 each by 10000:
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 21538.9438 as a fraction:
366162/17 / 1