# File rexml/functions.rb, line 329
    def Functions::number( object=nil )
      object = @node unless object
      if object == true
	object = "1"
      elsif object == false
	object = "0"
      elsif object.kind_of? Array
	object = string( object )
      else
	object = object.to_s
      end
      object.to_f
    end