How to increase the distance of numbers in a row?

Question

I want to increase the distance between number in each row in the following code. May you please provide a guidance.

\begin{document}
\begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{ccc}
17 13 18 19 17 21 29 22 16 28 21 15& & \[0.25cm]

26 23 24 20 8 17 17 21 32 18 25 22 & & \[0.25cm] 
16 10 20 22 19 14 30 22 12 24 28 11 \[0.25cm] 
\end{tabular}
\end{document}strong text
\end{center}

you have a three column table but columns two and three are empty, do you want the numbers to align use & between each number and declare more columns eg \begin{tabular}{*{15}{c}} — David Carlisle, Dec 17 '21 at 21:18
I need a three row table with a little more distance between numbers — user118746, Dec 17 '21 at 21:26
yes but I was asking about columns not rows, the data looks like it ought to be 15 columns, but all the data is in one column and then you have two empty columns — David Carlisle, Dec 17 '21 at 21:59

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Dec 18 '21 at 10:02

In the argument to tabular you don't specify the number of rows, but the number of columns.

Your table should be

\begin{tabular}{@{} *{12}{r} @{}}
17 & 13 & 18 & 19 & 17 & 21 & 29 & 22 & 16 & 28 & 21 & 15 \\[0.25cm]
26 & 23 & 24 & 20 &  8 & 17 & 17 & 21 & 32 & 18 & 25 & 22 \\[0.25cm]
16 & 10 & 20 & 22 & 19 & 14 & 30 & 22 & 12 & 24 & 28 & 11
\end{tabular}

The meaning of @{} at the beginning and end is “don't add the standard padding” (they can be removed, though, if the table doesn't end up too wide).

With *{12}{r} we specify twelve columns with right alignment. You might prefer centering, but the 8 in row two, column five, would appear misaligned, to my eyes.

Full code.

\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}
\begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{@{} *{12}{r} @{}}
17 & 13 & 18 & 19 & 17 & 21 & 29 & 22 & 16 & 28 & 21 & 15 \[0.25cm]
26 & 23 & 24 & 20 &  8 & 17 & 17 & 21 & 32 & 18 & 25 & 22 \[0.25cm]
16 & 10 & 20 & 22 & 19 & 14 & 30 & 22 & 12 & 24 & 28 & 11
\end{tabular}
\end{center}
\end{document}

Alternative

Here's a different way of handling the table. Since these are numbers, math mode would be preferable, so you could use a math display. You can also reduce the spacing to your liking.

\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}
[
\setlength{\arraycolsep}{0.15cm}
\begin{array}{@{} *{12}{r} @{}}
17 & 13 & 18 & 19 & 17 & 21 & 29 & 22 & 16 & 28 & 21 & 15 \[0.25cm]
26 & 23 & 24 & 20 &  8 & 17 & 17 & 21 & 32 & 18 & 25 & 22 \[0.25cm]
16 & 10 & 20 & 22 & 19 & 14 & 30 & 22 & 12 & 24 & 28 & 11
\end{array}
]
\end{document}

Adjust the values for the horizontal and vertical spacing until you're satisfied.

score 0 · Answer 2 · edited Dec 18 '21 at 12:55

your MWE is erroneous. I suppose that end of your MWE should be:

...
\end{tabular}
\end{center}
strong text
\end{document}

your table has three columns, the first is the string of 12 numbers and the last two are empty.
It is not clear, if you like to have only bigger space between numbers in string or you also like to have numbers horizontally aligned.
in the first case you can use Gonzalo Medina answer on this question, for example in your case:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{lipsum}
\begin{document}
    \begin{center}
\spaceskip=3\fontdimen2\font plus 3\fontdimen3\font minus 3\fontdimen4\font
\begin{tabular}{ccc}
17 13 18 19 17 21 29 22 16 28 21 15 & a & b \
26 23 24 20  8 17 17 21 32 18 25 22 & c & d \
16 10 20 22 19 14 30 22 12 24 28 11 & e & f \
\end{tabular}
    \end{center}
strong text
\end{document}

which produce:

or break the first column into 12 columns:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{lipsum}
\begin{document}
\lipsum[66]
    \begin{center}
\spaceskip=3\fontdimen2\font plus 3\fontdimen3\font minus 3\fontdimen4\font
\begin{tabular}{*{12}{c} cc}
17 & 13 & 18 & 19 & 17 & 21 & 29 & 22 & 16 & 28 & 21 & 15 & a & b \
26 & 23 & 24 & 20 &  8 & 17 & 17 & 21 & 32 & 18 & 25 & 22 & e & f \
16 & 10 & 20 & 22 & 19 & 14 & 30 & 22 & 12 & 24 & 28 & 11 & e & f \
\end{tabular}
    \end{center}
\end{document}

In both examples, I add letters in the last two columns that can be seen from their presence in table.

How to increase the distance of numbers in a row?

2 Answers2

Full code.

Alternative