Step 1:
The first step to converting 973.0172 to a fraction is to re-write 973.0172 in the form p/q where p and q are both positive integers. To start with, 973.0172 can be written as simply 973.0172/1 to technically be written as a fraction.
Step 2:
Next, we will count the number of fractional digits after the decimal point in 973.0172, which in this case is 4. For however many digits after the decimal point there are, we will multiply the numerator and denominator of 973.0172/1 each by 10 to the power of that many digits. So, in this case, we will multiply the numerator and denominator of 973.0172/1 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 973.0172 as a fraction:
56435/58 / 1