# how to adjust array inside 50% of linewidth

I've couple of tables drawn using array; one of the sample is mentioned below: How can I automatically adjust table to get fit inside 50% of line-width?

 $\displaystyle \boldsymbol{\begin{array}{|*{20}{c|}} \hline {Student} & \begin{gathered} Length{\text{ of the }} \hfill \\ {\text{pendulum (cm)}} \hfill \\ \end{gathered} & \begin{gathered} No.{\text{ }}of \hfill \\ {\text{oscillations (n) }} \hfill \\ \end{gathered} & \begin{gathered} {\text{Total time }} \hfill \\ {\text{for(n) oscillation (s)}} \hfill \\ \end{gathered} & \begin{gathered} {\text{Time period }} \hfill \\ {\text{(s)}} \hfill \\ \end{gathered} \\ \hline I & {64.0} & 8 & {128.0} & {16.0} \\ \hline {II} & {64.0} & 4 & {64.0} & {16.0} \\ \hline {III} & {20.0} & 4 & {36.0} & {9.0} \\ \hline \end{array} }$

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I don't understand why you're using array and math mode.

Here are three proposals. The first one suffers from too big column headers, the other two solve this problem by making a symbolic header.

The packages booktabs and siunitx are necessary only for the last table format.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{booktabs,siunitx}

\newcommand{\manyrows}[1]{%
\begin{tabular}{@{}c@{}}\strut#1\strut\end{tabular}%
}
\newcommand{\coldesc}[3]{%
\multicolumn{#1}{l}{\footnotesize #2: #3} \\
}

\begin{document}
\begin{table}[htp]
\centering
\begin{tabular}{|*{5}{c|}}
\hline
Student &
\manyrows{Length of the \\ pendulum (cm)} &
\manyrows{No. of \\ oscillations ($n$)} &
\manyrows{Total time for ($n$) \\ oscillation(s)} &
\manyrows{Time \\ period(s)} \\
\hline
I & 64.0 & 8 & 128.0 & 16.0 \\
\hline
II & 64.0 & 4 & 64.0 & 16.0 \\
\hline
III & 20.0 & 4 & 36.0 & 9.0 \\
\hline
\end{tabular}

\caption{This table is too wide}
\end{table}

\begin{table}[htp]
\centering

\begin{tabular}{|*{5}{c|}}
\hline
Student & (A) & (B) & (C) & (D) \\
\hline
I & 64.0 & 8 & 128.0 & 16.0 \\
\hline
II & 64.0 & 4 & 64.0 & 16.0 \\
\hline
III & 20.0 & 4 & 36.0 & 9.0 \\
\hline
\coldesc{5}{(A)}{Length of the pendulum (cm)}
\coldesc{5}{(B)}{No. of oscillations ($n$)}
\coldesc{5}{(C)}{Total time for ($n$) oscillation(s)}
\coldesc{5}{(D)}{Time period(s)}
\end{tabular}

\caption{This table is better}

\end{table}

\begin{table}[htp]
\centering

\begin{tabular}{
l
S[table-format=2.1]
S[table-format=1.0]
S[table-format=3.1]
S[table-format=2.1]
}
\toprule
Student & {(A)} & {(B)} & {(C)} & {(D)} \\
\midrule
I & 64.0 & 8 & 128.0 & 16.0 \\
II & 64.0 & 4 & 64.0 & 16.0 \\
III & 20.0 & 4 & 36.0 & 9.0 \\
\bottomrule
\coldesc{5}{(A)}{Length of the pendulum (\si{cm})}
\coldesc{5}{(B)}{No. of oscillations ($n$)}
\coldesc{5}{(C)}{Total time for ($n$) oscillation(s)}
\coldesc{5}{(D)}{Time period(s)}
\end{tabular}

\caption{This table is even better}

\end{table}

\end{document}


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Great... This was unexpected answer. This proves "common sense is not so common" :) Thank You once again... –  Pawan Mude Jan 3 '14 at 16:29