I want to create a noun phrase that means the number of X that would be phrased like X number.
Should X be singular or plural? e.g., student number or students number?
In either case, I would like to know why and what is the name of this "rule"?
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If you type "noun adjunct" in the search, you will find this link. – Feb 10 '16 at 08:10
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If you mean a "student number" in the sense of a student's identification number, as opposed to a count of the number of students, then it's "student number", both words singular. If you were talking about the ID numbers of several students, it would be "student numbers". "Student" is still singular. When a noun is being used as an adjective, as here, I think it is always given in the singular.
You can also use a possessive, "the student's number". In that case it's an ordinary possessive, so plurals work by the traditional noun/adjective agreement rule: One student's number, two students' numbers.
Jay
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