Step 1:
The first step to converting 518.1981 to a fraction is to re-write 518.1981 in the form p/q where p and q are both positive integers. To start with, 518.1981 can be written as simply 518.1981/1 to technically be written as a fraction.
Step 2:
Next, we will count the number of fractional digits after the decimal point in 518.1981, which in this case is 4. For however many digits after the decimal point there are, we will multiply the numerator and denominator of 518.1981/1 each by 10 to the power of that many digits. So, in this case, we will multiply the numerator and denominator of 518.1981/1 each by 10000:
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 518.1981 as a fraction:
52338/101 / 1