Express 3.042 as a fraction in simplest form

3.042 = 3 42/1000 = 3 21/500

To express a decimal number as a fraction in simplest form, follow these steps:

Step 1: Identify the place value.
In the decimal number 3.042, the digit 0 is in the thousandth place.

Step 2: Write the decimal number as the numerator.
In this case, the numerator is 3.042.

Step 3: Find the denominator.
The denominator depends on the number of decimal places present.
In this case, there are three decimal places, so the denominator will have three zeros (1000).

Step 4: Simplify the fraction if possible.
To find the simplest form, divide both numerator and denominator by their greatest common divisor.
In this case, they do not share any common divisor other than 1, so the fraction is already in its simplest form.

Therefore, 3.042 can be expressed as a fraction in simplest form as 3042/1000.