Why does adding an extra row in my table in latex break it?

Question

I am learning Latex and have a frustrating issue using overleaf. It's fairly simple I have this table:

    \begin{table}[b]
    \caption{This is an example table.}    
    \centering
    \begin{tabular}{cccc}
        \hline
        Year & Maximum Temperature (°C) & Semibalanus balanoides & Mytilus edulis \\  
        \hline
        2003 & 14.8 & 67.1 & 172.83\\ 
        2004 & 14.5 & 68.73 & 62.83\\
        2005 & 15.1 & 21.67 & 22.25\\
        2006 & 15.9 & 189.92 & 16.2\\
        2007 & 14.7 & 9.83 & 32.25\\
        2008 & 15.7 & 23.92 & 35.33\\
        2011 & 15.8 & 66.5 & 20.17\\
        2012 & 16.8 & 76.92 & 12.42\\
        2013 & 15.8 & 6.18 & 32.58\\
        2014 & 16.2 & 18.75 & 15.42\\
        2015 & 15.9 & 69.82 & 20.92\\
        2016 & 16.6 & 7.58 & 3.92\\
        \hline
        \end{tabular}
    \label{tab:1}
    \end{table}

I get a nice-looking table. However adding one more row like this:

    \begin{table}[b]
    \caption{This is an example table.}    
    \centering
    \begin{tabular}{cccc}
        \hline
        Year & Maximum Temperature (°C) & Semibalanus balanoides & Mytilus edulis \\  
        \hline
        2003 & 14.8 & 67.1 & 172.83\\ 
        2004 & 14.5 & 68.73 & 62.83\\
        2005 & 15.1 & 21.67 & 22.25\\
        2006 & 15.9 & 189.92 & 16.2\\
        2007 & 14.7 & 9.83 & 32.25\\
        2008 & 15.7 & 23.92 & 35.33\\
        2011 & 15.8 & 66.5 & 20.17\\
        2012 & 16.8 & 76.92 & 12.42\\
        2013 & 15.8 & 6.18 & 32.58\\
        2014 & 16.2 & 18.75 & 15.42\\
        2015 & 15.9 & 69.82 & 20.92\\
        2016 & 16.6 & 7.58 & 3.92\\
        2017 & 15 & 11.67 & 18.25\\
        \hline
        \end{tabular}
    \label{tab:1}
    \end{table}

I get nothing compiled at all?

Answer 1

• I suggest to use the siunitx package, which will nicely align all the numbers for you

• to give latex more freedom to find the best possible place, use [htbp] as floating specifier instead of restricting it to only the bottom of the page.

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{siunitx}
\usepackage{booktabs}

\begin{document}

\begin{table}[htbp]
\caption{This is an example table.}    
\centering
\begin{tabular}{
  @{}
  S[table-format=4.0]
  S[table-format=2.1]
  S[table-format=3.2]
  S[table-format=3.2]
  @{}
}
    \toprule
    {Year} & {Maximum Temperature (°C)} & {Semibalanus balanoides} & {Mytilus edulis} \\  
    \midrule
    2003 & 14.8 & 67.1 & 172.83\\ 
    2004 & 14.5 & 68.73 & 62.83\\
    2005 & 15.1 & 21.67 & 22.25\\
    2006 & 15.9 & 189.92 & 16.2\\
    2007 & 14.7 & 9.83 & 32.25\\
    2008 & 15.7 & 23.92 & 35.33\\
    2011 & 15.8 & 66.5 & 20.17\\
    2012 & 16.8 & 76.92 & 12.42\\
    2013 & 15.8 & 6.18 & 32.58\\
    2014 & 16.2 & 18.75 & 15.42\\
    2015 & 15.9 & 69.82 & 20.92\\
    2016 & 16.6 & 7.58 & 3.92\\
    2017 & 15 & 11.67 & 18.25\\
    \bottomrule
    \end{tabular}
\label{tab:1}
\end{table}

\end{document}