Step 1:
The first step to converting 40.538742002374 to a fraction is to re-write 40.538742002374 in the form p/q where p and q are both positive integers. To start with, 40.538742002374 can be written as simply 40.538742002374/1 to technically be written as a fraction.
Step 2:
Next, we will count the number of fractional digits after the decimal point in 40.538742002374, which in this case is 12. For however many digits after the decimal point there are, we will multiply the numerator and denominator of 40.538742002374/1 each by 10 to the power of that many digits. So, in this case, we will multiply the numerator and denominator of 40.538742002374/1 each by 1000000000000:
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 40.538742002374 as a fraction:
10986/271 / 1