title: Python REST API Numeric Type Route Parameter Issues
body: <p>I'm starting a new project in Python to aid me helping to learn the language.  I'm a C# developer and very comfortable with REST APIs, but I feel I'm missing something in Python.  I am writing this with Flask-RESTPlus and have been following examples to get it working.  As it currently stands, I do have a working API, but I'm trying to figure this one last piece out.</p>
  
  <p>I need to be able to create an API endpoint that accepts a numeric route parameter, regardless of whether it's an int of a float.  </p>
  
  <p>I can get my API working properly if I add multiple routes, but there has to be a better way.</p>
  
  <p>One of my endpoints:</p>
  
  <pre class="lang-py prettyprint-override"><code>ns_area = Namespace('Area', description='Area calculations')
  @ns_area.route('/Acre/&lt;float:input&gt;/ToSquareFoot')
  class ConversionsArea(Resource):
      def get(self, input):
          input = float(input)
          return area.acre_to_ft2(input)
  
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>This returns a proper calculation</p>
  
  <pre><code>curl -X GET "http://127.0.0.1:5000/api/v1/Area/Acre/1.2/ToSquareFoot" -H "accept: application/json"
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>This returns a 404 because the route parameter isn't a floating point number</p>
  
  <pre><code>curl -X GET "http://127.0.0.1:5000/api/v1/Area/Acre/1/ToSquareFoot" -H "accept: application/json"
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Also, if I don't have a type identifier, it defaults to a string.</p>
  
  <p>I'd really rather not have to duplicate routes like this.  </p>
  
  <pre class="lang-py prettyprint-override"><code>ns_area = Namespace('Area', description='Area calculations')
  @ns_area.route('/Acre/&lt;float:input&gt;/ToSquareFoot')
  @ns_area.route('/Acre/&lt;int:input&gt;/ToSquareFoot')
  class ConversionsArea(Resource):
      def get(self, input):
          input = float(input)
          return area.acre_to_ft2(input)
  
  </code></pre>