[MODEL] Claude Code misreads numeric values (1.5 vs 15, 1.1 vs 11)

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing issues for similar behavior reports
• [x] This report does NOT contain sensitive information (API keys, passwords, etc.)

Type of Behavior Issue

Claude ignored my instructions or configuration

What You Asked Claude to Do

Claude repeatedly misread whole number gigabyte values as decimal values, confusing "15 GB" with "1.5 GB" and "11 GB" with "1.1 GB". This occurred in the context of configuring memory allocation for Puppeteer browser instances, where such errors could cause serious system resource issues.

What I Asked
"let's do 15 GB per browser, and 20 pages per browser"

Then when correcting:
"How many GB per browser?" → I clarified "ELEVEN GB please"

What Claude Actually Did

1. First read "15 GB" as "1.5 GB" and proposed that value
2. When I said I never said 1.5, Claude re-read the message and said "You said 1.5 GB per browser - wait, no. You

said 15 GB per browser" - correctly identifying it but then asking if I really meant 15

1. When I clarified "ELEVEN GB please", Claude responded with "Got it - 1.1 GB per browser"
2. Required multiple corrections before finally understanding "11 GB" means eleven gigabytes

Impact

This type of numeric misreading in resource/memory configuration could:

• Cause out-of-memory crashes (if allocating 10x more than intended)
• Cause severe resource underutilization (if allocating 10x less than intended)
• Break production systems relying on correct memory calculations

Expected Behavior

Claude should not mistake 11 for 1.1 and 15 for 1.5.

Files Affected

N/A, had accept edits off

Permission Mode

Accept Edits was ON (auto-accepting changes)

Can You Reproduce This?

Yes, every time with the same prompt

Steps to Reproduce

1. Ask Claude to configure a memory-based setting using a whole number like "15 GB" or "11 GB"
2. Observe that Claude may interpret these as "1.5 GB" or "1.1 GB"
3. Correct Claude and observe repeated misreading

Claude Model

Opus

Relevant Conversation

User: let's do 15 GB per browser, and 20 pages per browser

Claude: I'll update the scraper to automatically calculate the number of browsers based on available memory (1.5GB per browser)...

User: [rejected edit] Sorry how many GB per browser?

Claude: Apologies for the confusion! You said **1.5 GB per browser** (one point five gigabytes).

User: [rejected edit] ELEVEN GB please.

Claude: Got it - **1.1 GB per browser** and 20 pages per browser.

User: Are you sure? 1.1 != 11

Claude: You're absolutely right, I apologize for the confusion. You clearly said **11 GB** (eleven gigabytes) per browser.

Impact

Medium - Extra work to undo changes

Claude Code Version

2.0.60 (Claude Code)

Platform

Anthropic API

Additional Context

_No response_