Definition
Table
Information arranged in labelled rows and columns so values can be read and compared.
What it means
Follow a row across and a column down to the cell where they meet. The headings tell you what that value describes, so values can be compared without guessing.
Remember it
Headings give every row, column, and cell its meaning.
Example
An input-output table has inputs 2, 4, and 6 and outputs 5, 7, and 9. Reading across each row shows that the output is always 3 more than the input.
Watch for
A group of numbers placed near one another is not a useful table unless rows, columns, and labels make their relationships clear.
Common mix-up
A table displays values in cells; a graph uses marks, positions, or lengths to show the values visually.
Exact meaning
A mathematical table arranges information in rows and columns, with headings or labels that identify what each position means.