What do the numbers listed for an element on the periodic table represent?. Answer. . The number with a higher value is the number of protons and the number with a lower value is the number of neutrons.. . The number with a higher value is the number of electrons and the number with a lower value is the number of protons.. . The number with a higher value is the mass and the number with a lower value is the number of protons.. . The number with a higher value is the number of protons and the number with a lower value is the mass.