numbersElement

numbersElement is a generic data element used to encode numeric values within structured data models. It is designed to be language-agnostic and can be applied across markup, JSON-like structures, or object models to represent quantities or measurements in a consistent way.

In typical implementations, numbersElement stores a numeric value as text or as a native numeric type, depending on the language and serialization format. It supports integers and real numbers and may include optional metadata such as units and precision. Some schemas also allow special numeric values like NaN or infinity.

Common attributes associated with a numbersElement include unit, precision, and range constraints. A unit attribute specifies the measurement unit (for example, meters or kilograms), while precision indicates the number of meaningful digits. Range constraints can enforce allowable values to improve data validation and integrity.

Serialization and usage vary by format. In XML-like representations, a numbersElement may appear as a single element containing the numeric value, with optional attributes for unit and precision. In JSON-like structures, it is often represented as an object with keys such as value and unit, for example value: 12.5 and unit: "m".

Typical applications include data interchange, scientific datasets, configuration files, and user interfaces where numeric input or output must be standardized. As a building block, numbersElement supports consistent numeric handling across systems and promotes validation and interoperability. See also: stringElement, booleanElement, dateElement.