How do I make this table better looking?

Question

Everything is very squished together, does anybody have any suggestions on what I can do?

Here is my code for the table:

\begin{table}[h!]
\centering
\begin{tabular}{|c|c|c|c|c|c|c|c|c|}
\hline
\textit{\textbf{l (m)}} & \textit{\textbf{$\overline{t}$$_{10}$}\:(s)}} & \textit{\textbf{$\Delta t_{10}\:(s)$}} & \textit{\textbf{$T\:(s)$}} & \textit{\textbf{$\Delta T\:(s)$}} & \textit{\textbf{$l^2$\:$(m^2)$}} & \textit{\textbf{$T^2\:(m\:s^2)$}} & \textit{\textbf{$\Delta T^2\:l\:(m\:s^2)$}} & \textit{\textbf{$\sigma \: (s)$}} \\ \hline
0.450                   & 15.414                                        & 0.1739                                 & 1.541                      & 0.01739                           & 0.2025                                          & 1.069                             & 0.02412                                     & 0.1168                            \\ \hline
0.400                   & 14.84                                         & 0.3927                                 & 1.483                      & 0.03927                           & 0.1600                                          & 0.8810                            & 0.04661                                     & 0.1916                            \\ \hline
0.350                   & 14.75                                         & 0.6523                                 & 1.475                      & 0.06523                           & 0.1225                                          & 0.7613                            & 0.06733                                     & 0.3522                            \\ \hline
0.300                   & 14.38                                         & 0.09190                                & 1.437                      & 0.009190                          & 0.0900                                          & 0.6200                            & 0.00793                                     & 0.0566                            \\ \hline
0.250                   & 14.18                                         & 0.5368                                 & 1.418                      & 0.05368                           & 0.0625                                          & 0.5029                            & 0.03807                                     & 0.3006                            \\ \hline
0.200                   & 13.82                                         & 0.2223                                 & 1.381                      & 0.02223                           & 0.0400                                          & 0.3819                            & 0.01229                                     & 0.1302                            \\ \hline
-0.200                  & 13.79                                         & 0.2098                                 & 1.379                      & 0.02098                           & -0.0400                                         & -0.3805                           & -0.01157                                    & 0.1170                            \\ \hline
-0.250                  & 14.24                                         & 0.1223                                 & 1.424                      & 0.01223                           & -0.0625                                         & -0.5070                           & -0.00870                                    & 0.07902                           \\ \hline
-0.300                  & 14.55                                         & 0.2556                                 & 1.455                      & 0.02556                           & -0.0900                                         & -0.6352                           & -0.02231                                    & 0.1646                            \\ \hline
-0.350                  & 14.56                                         & 0.4752                                 & 1.456                      & 0.04752                           & -0.1225                                         & -0.7419                           & -0.04843                                    & 0.2631                            \\ \hline
-0.400                  & 14.84                                         & 0.1492                                 & 1.484                      & 0.01492                           & -0.1600                                         & -0.8810                           & -0.01771                                    & 0.08889                           \\ \hline
-0.450                  & 15.41                                         & 0.2191                                 & 1.541                      & 0.02191                           & -0.2025                                         & -1.069                            & -0.03034                                    & 0.1271                            \\ \hline
\end{tabular}
\end{table}

the result is a squidged table.

Please tell us what m and s mean. E.g., are they the symbols for "meter" and "second", respectively? — Mico, Apr 06 '23 at 16:42
Incidentally, \textbf and \textit are text-mode commands; they have no effect on material that's rendered in math mode. — Mico, Apr 06 '23 at 16:44
Yes, @Mico, meter and second. For context its an experiment on a physical pendulum. To linaerise the graph, im plotting T^2l vs l and the unit for T^2 l is meter seconds squared. — Neal Batra, Apr 06 '23 at 16:45
There are countless threads on the issue. Check these (and the links) out for some inspiration: https://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/112343/beautiful-table-samples https://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/604496/how-to-generate-beautiful-tables-in-latex — Ingmar, Apr 06 '23 at 17:32

score 7 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 06 '23 at 17:05

I'd like to suggest that you start by getting rid of all vertical rules and most horizontal rules. Next, use the macros \toprule, \midrule, \addlinespace, and \bottomrule instead of \hline, as is done in the example code below. Never forget that whitespace can be every bit as effective at providing a visual separator as a solid line does.

Next, use the machinery of the siunitx package -- specifically, its S column type -- to align the numbers on their respective decimal markers. Finally, do provide some more structure to the header material; I suggest you list the variables in one row and their units of measurement in a second row, where you'd use the \unit macro (also provided by the siunitx package) to format the units according to typographically well established standards.

Does the table now look less squished than it did before?

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{geometry} % set text block size parameters as appropriate
\usepackage{amsmath,array,booktabs,siunitx}
\newcolumntype{T}[1]{S[table-format=#1,group-digits=false]}
\begin{document}
\begin{table}[h!]
\centering
\begin{tabular}{@{} T{-1.3} T{2.3} T{1.4} T{1.3} T{1.5} T{-1.4} T{-1.4} T{-1.5} T{1.5} @{}}
\toprule
{$l$} & {$\bar{t}{10}$} & {$\Delta t{10}$} & 
{$T$} & {$\Delta T$} & {$l^2$} & 
{$T^2$} & {$\Delta T^2,l$} & {$\sigma$}\ 
{(\unit{\meter})} & {(\unit{\second})} &{(\unit{\second})} & 
{(\unit{\second})} & {(\unit{\second})} & {(\unit{\meter\squared})} & 
{(\unit{\second\squared})} & {(\unit{\meter\second\squared})} & {(\unit{\second})}\
\midrule
 0.450 & 15.414& 0.1739 & 1.541 & 0.01739 &  0.2025 &  1.069  &  0.02412 & 0.1168 \ 
 0.400 & 14.84 & 0.3927 & 1.483 & 0.03927 &  0.1600 &  0.8810 &  0.04661 & 0.1916 \ 
 0.350 & 14.75 & 0.6523 & 1.475 & 0.06523 &  0.1225 &  0.7613 &  0.06733 & 0.3522 \ 
 \addlinespace
 0.300 & 14.38 & 0.0919 & 1.437 & 0.00919 &  0.0900 &  0.6200 &  0.00793 & 0.0566 \ 
 0.250 & 14.18 & 0.5368 & 1.418 & 0.05368 &  0.0625 &  0.5029 &  0.03807 & 0.3006 \ 
 0.200 & 13.82 & 0.2223 & 1.381 & 0.02223 &  0.0400 &  0.3819 &  0.01229 & 0.1302 \ 
 \addlinespace
-0.200 & 13.79 & 0.2098 & 1.379 & 0.02098 & -0.0400 & -0.3805 & -0.01157 & 0.1170 \ 
-0.250 & 14.24 & 0.1223 & 1.424 & 0.01223 & -0.0625 & -0.5070 & -0.00870 & 0.07902\ 
-0.300 & 14.55 & 0.2556 & 1.455 & 0.02556 & -0.0900 & -0.6352 & -0.02231 & 0.1646 \ 
\addlinespace
-0.350 & 14.56 & 0.4752 & 1.456 & 0.04752 & -0.1225 & -0.7419 & -0.04843 & 0.2631 \ 
-0.400 & 14.84 & 0.1492 & 1.484 & 0.01492 & -0.1600 & -0.8810 & -0.01771 & 0.08889\ 
-0.450 & 15.41 & 0.2191 & 1.541 & 0.02191 & -0.2025 & -1.069  & -0.03034 & 0.1271 \ 
\bottomrule
\end{tabular}
\end{table}
\end{document}

Zarko · Accepted Answer · 2023-04-06T22:12:14.640

I would round numbers, for example to four decimals
for table use tblr and prescribed equal width to all columns

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{geometry}
\usepackage{tabularray}
\UseTblrLibrary{booktabs, siunitx}
\begin{document}
    \begin{table}[h!]
    \sisetup{round-integer-to-decimal,
             round-mode=places,
             round-precision = 4,
             table-format= 1.4
             }
\begin{tblr}{colspec = { *{9}{X[c, si]} @{}},
             row{1}  = {guard, mode=math},
             row{2}  = {guard, mode=text},
             row{3-Z}= {rowsep=0pt},
             row{odd[3-Z]} = {abovesep=1ex},
             }
    \toprule
l 
    &   \bar{t}{10} 
        &   \Delta t{10} 
            &   T 
                &   \Delta T 
                    &   l^2 
                        &   T^2 
                            &   \Delta T^2 
                                &   \sigma 
                                \
(\unit{\meter})
    &   (\unit{\second})
        &   (\unit{\second})
            &   (\unit{\second})
                &   (\unit{\second})
                    &   (\unit{\meter\square\second})
                        &   (\unit{\meter\square\second})
                            &   (\unit{\meter\square\second})
                                &   (\unit{\second})
                                    \
    \midrule
0.450   & 15.414    & 0.1739    & 1.541 & 0.01739   & 0.2025    & 1.069     & 0.02412   & 0.1168    \
0.400   & 14.84     & 0.3927    & 1.483 & 0.03927   & 0.1600    & 0.8810    & 0.04661   & 0.1916    \
0.350   & 14.75     & 0.6523    & 1.475 & 0.06523   & 0.1225    & 0.7613    & 0.06733   & 0.3522    \
0.300   & 14.38     & 0.09190   & 1.437 & 0.009190  & 0.0900    & 0.6200    & 0.00793   & 0.0566    \
0.250   & 14.18     & 0.5368    & 1.418 & 0.05368   & 0.0625    & 0.5029    & 0.03807   & 0.3006    \
0.200   & 13.82     & 0.2223    & 1.381 & 0.02223   & 0.0400    & 0.3819    & 0.01229   & 0.1302    \
-0.200  & 13.79     & 0.2098    & 1.379 & 0.02098   & -0.0400   & -0.3805   & -0.01157  & 0.1170    \
-0.250  & 14.24     & 0.1223    & 1.424 & 0.01223   & -0.0625   & -0.5070   & -0.00870  & 0.07902   \
-0.300  & 14.55     & 0.2556    & 1.455 & 0.02556   & -0.0900   & -0.6352   & -0.02231  & 0.1646    \
-0.350  & 14.56     & 0.4752    & 1.456 & 0.04752   & -0.1225   & -0.7419   & -0.04843  & 0.2631    \
-0.400  & 14.84     & 0.1492    & 1.484 & 0.01492   & -0.1600   & -0.8810   & -0.01771  & 0.08889   \
-0.450  & 15.41     & 0.2191    & 1.541 & 0.02191   & -0.2025   & -1.069    & -0.03034  & 0.1271    \
    \bottomrule
\end{tblr}
\end{table}
\end{document}

Do check the labels and units in columns 6, 7, and 8. For sure, it's got to be meter times squared second, not meter per squared second. — Mico, Apr 06 '23 at 17:31
@Mico, you are right! I should look table which OP provide, not only mess of column headers code ... Corrected now. Thank you very much for note! — Zarko, Apr 06 '23 at 18:59
Hey @Zarko, how do I add T^2l and delta T^2l to this? I tried to edit it in the document but it just says no pdf produced.
edit - I tried editing a bit more but i'm not sure where to add my data, and adding T^2 l and delta T ^2 l makes the table go out of the page. — Neal Batra, Apr 06 '23 at 20:35
@NealBatra, as far as I see, columns width T^2 and \Delta ^2 already exist in table. Do you like to add new columns to table? Without to see what you doing, I can't say what is going wrong. BTW, your table is quite wide and you not provide any information about your document page layout. — Zarko, Apr 06 '23 at 22:09
@Zarko I am an idiot, theres no better way to put it. I spent 3 hours trying to fix this and I just realised that where you put T^2 and delta T^2 it was meant to say T^2 l and delta T^2 l. It's fixed now. Many Thanks haha and sorry about that. — Neal Batra, Apr 06 '23 at 22:14

How do I make this table better looking?

2 Answers2