How to catch unit prefix errors
A prefix is part of a quantity transformation; compare both the power of ten and the numeric value whenever a unit changes.
Write prefixes as exponents
Translate kilo, milli, micro, and nano into powers of ten before comparing values. This makes scale changes visible.
Check both sides of a conversion
If the unit becomes 1,000 times smaller, the displayed number becomes 1,000 times larger for the same quantity. Changing only one side is a red flag.
Watch case and typography
M, m, and µ are not interchangeable. OCR, spreadsheet exports, and font substitutions can turn micro symbols into plain letters.
Trace back to raw data
When two sections differ by a power of ten, do not normalize the prose first. Identify the original measurement and reconstruct the conversion.
Sources and boundaries
Solice develops LabCrux. The independent sources above do not sponsor or endorse the product. This page explains a review method; your experimental evidence, course instructions, and instructor remain authoritative.