Step 1:
The first step to converting 42587.71 to a fraction is to re-write 42587.71 in the form p/q where p and q are both positive integers. To start with, 42587.71 can be written as simply 42587.71/1 to technically be written as a fraction.
Step 2:
Next, we will count the number of fractional digits after the decimal point in 42587.71, which in this case is 2. For however many digits after the decimal point there are, we will multiply the numerator and denominator of 42587.71/1 each by 10 to the power of that many digits. So, in this case, we will multiply the numerator and denominator of 42587.71/1 each by 100:
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 42587.71 as a fraction:
298114/7 / 1