Data Table

This shows how to present and format a table for data.

Complete Code

PG problem file

Explanation

DOCUMENT();
loadMacros('PGstandard.pl', 'PGML.pl', 'PGcourse.pl');

Preamble

This shows how to use the DataTable function in niceTables.pl. Note that the niceTables.pl macro is automatically loaded by PGML.pl, so it is not necessary to load it explicitly.

@rows = map { [ $_, random(1, 10) ] } 1 .. 5;

$a = non_zero_random(-4, 4);
$f = Compute("x / (x - [$a])")->reduce;

Setup

A DataTable is meant to display data in a table. It is not meant to be used for layout. If a layout is needed use LayoutTable instead. See Layout Table for an example of the usage of the LayoutTable method.

Typically the PGML syntax for a DataTable should be used as is done in this example. However, the result of calling DataTable could also be used. It is called as follows.

$table = DataTable(
    [
        [row1],
        [row2],
        ...
        [rowN]
    ],
    options
);

where the data goes in as an array reference of array references. The first row can (and is often) used for a header row. Some of the DataTable options are demonstrated here, but the full list of options and explanation of there usage is in the niceTables.pl documentation

Then the table would be inserted into the problem text by adding [$table]* in the desired location inside the BEGIN_PGML/END_PGML block.

The first table in this example will display randomly generated data stored in the @rows array that is generated in the setup.

Note that a reference to the @rows array needs to be passed to the DataTable method, and \@rows is used to obtain the array reference. However, if this reference were not created inside the BEGIN_PGML/END_PGML block then ~~@rows would need to be used instead to obtain this array reference due to PG translation.

The second table in this example will ask the student to complete a table of values for the function that is defined at the end of the setup.

BEGIN_PGML
Here's some data:

[#
    [.[`x`].] [.[`y`].]*{ headerrow => 1 }
    [. .]{ rows => \@rows }
#]

Complete the following table of values for [``f(x) = [$f]``].

[$tab2]*
[#
    [.[`x`].]    [.[`f(x)`].]*{ headerrow => 1 }
    [.[$a - 2].] [.[_]{$f->eval(x => $a - 2)}.]*
    [.[$a - 1].] [.[_]{$f->eval(x => $a - 1)}.]*
    [.[$a + 1].] [.[_]{$f->eval(x => $a + 1)}.]*
    [.[$a + 2].] [.[_]{$f->eval(x => $a + 2)}.]
#]{
    align           => '|r|c|',
    valign          => 'middle',
    padding         => [ 0.5, 0.5 ],
    horizontalrules => 1
}
END_PGML

Statement

The PGML syntax for inserting a DataTable is [# ... #]{ options }. In between [# and #] any number of cells can be added with [. ... .]. The end of a row is marked by adding a * to the end of the last cell in the row (the * can be omitted on the last row). Inside of a cell started with [. and ended with .] all of the usual PGML syntax can be used.

Options can also be passed to a cell with [. ... .]{ options }. Note that some cell options apply to the entire row that contains the cell. This is the case for the headerrow => 1 option.

One special cell option is the rows option used in the first table example. It can only be used with a cell that has no contents, and its option must be an array reference of array references (the same as the usual first argument for the DataTable method. In this case the rows defined in the array reference will be added to the table.

BEGIN_PGML_SOLUTION
Solution explanation goes here.
END_PGML_SOLUTION

ENDDOCUMENT();

Solution

A solution should be provided here.