Final answer:
The decimal 2.317 can be expressed as the fraction 2317/1000, which is a rational number made up of two positive integers, representing the decimal expanded to the thousandths place.
Step-by-step explanation:
To express the decimal number 2.317 as a rational number (a fraction of two positive integers), we first recognize that this decimal does not have repeating numbers and therefore is not an infinite repeating decimal. However, it can still be expressed as a rational number by considering that the decimal 2.317 is equivalent to 2,317 thousandths or, in fractional form, 2317/1000.
Turning a decimal into a fraction is straightforward: since the decimal goes to three places or the thousandths place, put the digits 2317 over 1 followed by three zeros, which is 1000. Thus, 2.317 equals 2317/1000, which is a fraction of two positive integers. Both the numerator and denominator here are exact numbers, meaning they represent precise quantities.