How do I insert a table when asking a question?

Question

I'm having a hard time to insert a table here when I'm asking a question. Any help would be appreciated. Also, is there any, not too expensive, math programs that allow me to enter math terms and equations kind of thing?

Thank you

Tom

Answer 1

Regarding how to write general math expressions on the site, my answer here covers that well I think.

Specifically for tables, you can use LaTeX's \array command. The tabular command, which only works in text mode, is not available here, so if you want to include text in your table, you will have to do some tinkering. Here is an example table:

$$\begin{array}{c|c|c|} 
 & \text{Column A} & \text{Column B} \\ \hline
\text{Row 1} & 5 & \oplus \\ \hline
\text{Row 2} & \int & 8 \\ \hline
\end{array}$$

produces

$$\begin{array}{c|c|c|} & \text{Column A} & \text{Column B} \\ \hline \text{Row 1} & 5 & \oplus \\ \hline \text{Row 2} & \int & 8 \\\hline \end{array}$$

Answer 2

(This is a CW answer, everybody is welcome to extend or improve it.)

Markdown support for tables has been enabled network-wide, this offers an alternative to the MathJax/LaTeX array environment for simple tables. MathJax can be used inside the Markdown table entries.

A simple example

Source:

| Function | Addition theorem |
| -------- | ---------------- |
| **Sine** | $\sin(x+y) = \sin(x) \cos(y) + \cos(x) \sin(y)$ |
| **Cosine** | $\cos(x+y) = \cos(x) \cos(y) - \sin(x) \sin(y)$ |

Result:

Function	Addition theorem
Sine	$\sin(x+y) = \sin(x) \cos(y) + \cos(x) \sin(y)$
Cosine	$\cos(x+y) = \cos(x) \cos(y) - \sin(x) \sin(y)$

More examples:

Source:

| What | MathJax |
| -------- | -------------- |
| Matrix   | $\begin{pmatrix}1&2\\0&1\end{pmatrix}$ |
| Equation with a tag | \begin{equation} x^2+y^2=z^2 \tag{1} \end{equation}  |
| Centered formula    | $$F_{n+2}=F_{n+1}+F_n$$ |

Result:

What	MathJax
Matrix	$\begin{pmatrix}1&2\\0&1\end{pmatrix}$
Equation with a tag	\begin{equation} x^2+y^2=z^2 \tag{1} \end{equation}
Centered formula	$$F_{n+2}=F_{n+1}+F_n$$

Resources

• New Feature: Table Support on Meta Stack Exchange
• Tables in the Markdown help.
• GitHub-flavored Markdown table syntax
• Network-wide feature request to support MathJax in tables

Notes

• There is currently a bug when MathJax is used in the Markdown table header.

Answer 3

Since my example given in a comment to Zev Chonoles's answer and adapted from it, due to some reason, does not display properly now, I repeat it here.

$$\begin{array}{|c|c|c|}\hline&\zeta (3)&\zeta (2)\\\hline\sigma&3+4\ln(1+4\sqrt{2})&2+5\ln\left(\dfrac{1+\sqrt{5}}{2}\right)\\\hline\tau&-3+4\ln(1+\sqrt{2})&-2+5\ln\left(\dfrac{1+\sqrt{5}}{2}\right)\\\hline\mu=1+\dfrac{\sigma}{\tau}&\dfrac{8\ln(1+\sqrt{2})}{4\ln(1+\sqrt{2})-3}&\dfrac{10\ln\left(\dfrac{1+\sqrt{5}}{2}\right)}{5\ln\left(\dfrac{1+\sqrt{5}}{2}\right)-2}\\\hline\end{array}$$

It is produced by

$$\begin{array}{|c|c|c|} \hline &\zeta (3)&\zeta (2)\\ \hline \sigma&3+4\ln(1+4\sqrt{2})&2+5\ln\left(\dfrac{1+\sqrt{5}}{2}\right)\\ \hline \tau&-3+4\ln(1+\sqrt{2})&-2+5\ln\left(\dfrac{1+\sqrt{5}}{2}\right)\\ \hline \mu=1+\dfrac{\sigma}{\tau}&\dfrac{8\ln(1+\sqrt{2})}{4\ln(1 \sqrt{2})-3}& \dfrac{10\ln\left(\dfrac{1+\sqrt{5}}{2}\right)} {5\ln\left(\dfrac{1+\sqrt{5}}{2}\right)-2}\\ \hline \end{array}$$