--- loncom/homework/default_homework.lcpm	2017/02/07 21:24:29	1.173
+++ loncom/homework/default_homework.lcpm	2018/09/12 21:10:44	1.174
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # The LearningOnline Network with CAPA 
 # used by lonxml::xmlparse() as input variable $safeinit to Apache::run::run()
 #
-# $Id: default_homework.lcpm,v 1.173 2017/02/07 21:24:29 damieng Exp $
+# $Id: default_homework.lcpm,v 1.174 2018/09/12 21:10:44 raeburn Exp $
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
 #
@@ -976,6 +976,18 @@ sub chemparse {
     return &xmlparse($formula);
 }
 
+sub convert_engineer_format {
+    my ($ans,$baseunit)=@_;
+    my ($value,$answer,$unit);
+    $baseunit =~ s{[^\w/\-\.]}{}g; 
+    eval {
+           $value = &number_format_pref($ans);
+    };
+    my ($answer,$prefix) = ($value=~ /^(.+)(\w)$/);
+    my $unit = $prefix.$baseunit;
+    return($answer,$unit);
+} 
+
 sub prettyprint {
     my ($value,$fmt,$target)=@_;
     my $result;