Step 1:
The first step to converting 4242.3971185478 to a fraction is to re-write 4242.3971185478 in the form p/q where p and q are both positive integers. To start with, 4242.3971185478 can be written as simply 4242.3971185478/1 to technically be written as a fraction.
Step 2:
Next, we will count the number of fractional digits after the decimal point in 4242.3971185478, which in this case is 10. For however many digits after the decimal point there are, we will multiply the numerator and denominator of 4242.3971185478/1 each by 10 to the power of that many digits. So, in this case, we will multiply the numerator and denominator of 4242.3971185478/1 each by 10000000000:
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 4242.3971185478 as a fraction:
21212/5 / 1