001/*
002 * Units of Measurement API
003 * Copyright (c) 2014-2023, Jean-Marie Dautelle, Werner Keil, Otavio Santana.
004 *
005 * All rights reserved.
006 *
007 * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification,
008 * are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
009 *
010 * 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice,
011 *    this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
012 *
013 * 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions
014 *    and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
015 *
016 * 3. Neither the name of JSR-385 nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products
017 *    derived from this software without specific prior written permission.
018 *
019 * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS"
020 * AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
021 * THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
022 * ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE
023 * FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
024 * (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES;
025 * LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED
026 * AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
027 * (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE,
028 * EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
029 */
030package javax.measure;
031
032/**
033 * A unit prefix is a specifier or mnemonic that is prepended to units of measurement to indicate multiples or fractions of the units.
034 *
035 * @see <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unit_prefix">Wikipedia: Unit Prefix</a>
036 * @author <a href="mailto:werner@uom.technology">Werner Keil</a>
037 * @version 1.4, April 3, 2023
038 * @since 2.0
039 */
040public interface Prefix {
041    /**
042     * Returns the name of this prefix.
043     *
044     * @return this prefix name, not {@code null}.
045     */
046    String getName();
047
048    /**
049     * Returns the symbol of this prefix.
050     *
051     * @return this prefix symbol, not {@code null}.
052     */
053    public String getSymbol();
054
055    /**
056     * Returns the value of this prefix. If the {@code exponent} is different from {@code 1}, this value is the {@code base} part of the associated
057     * factor in {@code base^exponent} representation.
058     * 
059     * @return The prefix value.
060     */
061    Number getValue();
062
063    /**
064     * Exponent part of the associated factor in {@code base^exponent} representation. For different factors, e.g. rational numbers like {@code 1/4}
065     * the exponent is always {@code 1}.
066     *
067     * @return the exponent part of this prefix.
068     */
069    int getExponent();
070}