Be able to align data and labels appropriately including right aligning numeric data and decimal alignment

18 Databases

Objective

Be able to align data and labels appropriately, including right‑aligning numeric data and aligning decimal points in tables.

Why Alignment Matters

• Improves readability of reports and printed output.
• Helps users compare figures quickly.
• Professional presentation is required for examinations and real‑world business documents.

Basic Alignment Rules

1. Textual data (names, addresses, descriptions) – left‑aligned.
2. Numeric data (quantities, prices, totals) – right‑aligned.
3. When numbers contain decimals, align the decimal points so that the fractional parts line up vertically.

Using Tables to Align Data

In a database report you can use an HTML <table> to control alignment. The align attribute on <td> (or <th>) can be set to left, center or right. For decimal alignment, place the whole number and the fractional part in separate cells, or use a fixed‑width font and right‑align the whole cell.

Example 1 – Simple Right Alignment

Example 2 – Aligning Decimal Points

One common technique is to split the number into two cells: the integer part (right‑aligned) and the fractional part (left‑aligned). This forces the decimal points to line up.

Using LaTeX for Calculations in Notes

When demonstrating calculations, embed LaTeX expressions between \$...\$ for inline or \$...\$ for displayed equations.

Example of a total price calculation:

\$\text{Total} = \sum{i=1}^{n} (\text{Quantity}i \times \text{Price}_i)\$

For the table above, the total for the Desk line would be:

\$\text{Total}_{\text{Desk}} = 3 \times 85.00 = 255.00\$

Practical Exercise

Create a report for the following sales data. Align the columns as described.

1. Product: Mouse, Quantity: 15, Unit Price: 9.99
2. Product: Keyboard, Quantity: 8, Unit Price: 24.50
3. Product: Monitor, Quantity: 4, Unit Price: 149.95

Include a column for Subtotal (Quantity × Unit Price) and a final row for Grand Total. Use right alignment for all numeric columns and ensure the decimal points line up.