public float getMaximumDifference_as_float(){
        float diff = 0.0F;
        if(this.type==2 || this.type==3){
            float max = this.getMaximum_as_float();
            float min = this.getMinimum_as_float();
            diff = max - min;
        }
        else{
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Maximum difference may only be returned as the same type as the type of the internal array - you are trying to return as float or Float the difference for a " + this.typeName[this.type] +"[] array");
        }
        return diff;
    }