You're correct. The GP in incorrect about their dimensional analysis. 5 apples 12 times yields apples because it's apples times a dimensionless scalar (count)

You're correct. The GP in incorrect about their dimensional analysis. 5 apples 12 times yields apples because it's apples times a dimensionless scalar (count). Newtons times meters is always Newton-meters, never Newtons or meters. Units are never magically dropped in dimensional analysis.