Step 1:
The first step to converting 42542.241315172 to a fraction is to re-write 42542.241315172 in the form p/q where p and q are both positive integers. To start with, 42542.241315172 can be written as simply 42542.241315172/1 to technically be written as a fraction.
Step 2:
Next, we will count the number of fractional digits after the decimal point in 42542.241315172, which in this case is 9. For however many digits after the decimal point there are, we will multiply the numerator and denominator of 42542.241315172/1 each by 10 to the power of that many digits. So, in this case, we will multiply the numerator and denominator of 42542.241315172/1 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 42542.241315172 as a fraction:
170169/4 / 1