How to fix spacing with two tables

beamer add tag

topnush

I have:

```
\documentclass{beamer}


\begin{document}
\begin{frame}
\begin{itemize}
\item Some text
 \end{itemize}
 \begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{ cc }   % top level tables, with 2 columns
A & B \\  
% leftmost table of the top level table
\begin{tabular}{ |c|c|c| } 
\hline
a & b & c \\
a & b & c \\
\hline
\end{tabular} &  % starting rightmost sub table
$\bigcup$
% table 2
\begin{tabular}{ |c|c|c| } 
\hline
d & e & f \\
d & e & f \\
\hline
\end{tabular} \\
\end{tabular}
\end{center}
\end{frame}

\end{document}  
```

I would like  to have a large \cup between the two tables.

The main problem is the spacing because \bigcup is too close to the table on the right.

Top Answer

samcarter

I would suggest using 5 columns for the outer table. Without the additional empty column in front of the `\bigcup` you won't have to manually mess with spaces and get a centred position of the symbol.

(If you'd like to modify the space between columns, you could use `\addtolength{\tabcolsep}{2pt}`)

```
\documentclass{beamer}

\begin{document}

\begin{frame}
\begin{itemize}
\item Some text
 \end{itemize}
 \begin{center}
% \addtolength{\tabcolsep}{2pt}
\begin{tabular}{ ccccc }   % top level tables
$A$ & & $B$ & & $A \cup B$\\  
% leftmost table of the top level table
\begin{tabular}{ |c|c|c| } 
\hline
a & b & c \\
a & b & c \\
\hline
\end{tabular}%
&
$\bigcup$%
&
% table 2
\begin{tabular}{ |c|c|c| } 
\hline
d & e & f \\
d & e & f \\
\hline
\end{tabular}%
&
=%
&
\uncover<2->{%
\begin{tabular}{ |c|c|c| } 
\hline
g & h & i \\
g & h & i \\
\hline
\end{tabular}%
}\\%
\end{tabular}
\end{center}
\end{frame}
\end{document}
```
![document.gif](/image?hash=8005f7b8ef1515333f3718811767336f16baae7d3f13e6da926811049b313a27)

Answer #2

Skillmon

Alternative approach: If this is maths, use the respective environments (`equation*` instead of `center`, `array` instead of `tabular`, and use `\overset` to put smaller annotations above your `array`s):

```
\documentclass{beamer}

\begin{document}
\begin{frame}
  \begin{itemize}
    \item Some text
  \end{itemize}
  \begin{equation*}
    \overset{A}{\begin{array}{|*3{c|}}
        \hline
        a & b & c \\
        a & b & c \\
        \hline
    \end{array}}
    \bigcup
    \overset{B}{\begin{array}{|*3{c|}}
        \hline
        d & e & f \\
        d & e & f \\
        \hline
    \end{array}}
    =
    \overset{A \cup B}{\begin{array}{|*3{c|}}
        \hline
        g & h & i \\
        g & h & i \\
        \hline
    \end{array}}
  \end{equation*}
\end{frame}
\end{document}  
```

![foo.png](/image?hash=b02d3cc56d2f75a0453523397acb08e7ffda1a2c42a9c999842a8e103a0d00a5)

Answer #3

topnush

With a bit of hand kludged hspace work this works. I hope there is a more elegant solution too.

```
\documentclass{beamer}

\begin{document}

\begin{frame}
\begin{itemize}
\item Some text
 \end{itemize}
 \begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{ cccccc }   % top level tables
A & &  & B & & $A \cup B$\\  

% leftmost table of the top level table
\begin{tabular}{ |c|c|c| } 
\hline
a & b & c \\
a & b & c \\
\hline
\end{tabular} &  % starting rightmost sub table
&
$\bigcup$
&
\hspace{0.1cm}
% table 2
\begin{tabular}{ |c|c|c| } 
\hline
d & e & f \\
d & e & f \\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\hspace{0.05cm}
&
=
&
\uncover<2->{
\begin{tabular}{ |c|c|c| } 
\hline
g & h & i \\
g & h & i \\
\hline
\end{tabular}
}
\end{tabular}
\end{center}
\end{frame}
\end{document}
```

3 Answers