Step 1:
The first step to converting 42260.857271978 to a fraction is to re-write 42260.857271978 in the form p/q where p and q are both positive integers. To start with, 42260.857271978 can be written as simply 42260.857271978/1 to technically be written as a fraction.
Step 2:
Next, we will count the number of fractional digits after the decimal point in 42260.857271978, which in this case is 9. For however many digits after the decimal point there are, we will multiply the numerator and denominator of 42260.857271978/1 each by 10 to the power of that many digits. So, in this case, we will multiply the numerator and denominator of 42260.857271978/1 each by 1000000000:
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 42260.857271978 as a fraction:
295826/7 / 1