How to do it...

1. Write the following script, recipe_format_strings_step1.py, to  print an aligned table:

# INPUT DATA
data = [
    (1000, 10),
    (2000, 17),
    (2500, 170),
    (2500, -170),
]
# Print the header for reference
print('REVENUE | PROFIT | PERCENT')

# This template aligns and displays the data in the proper format
TEMPLATE = '{revenue:>7,} | {profit:>+7} | {percent:>7.2%}'

# Print the data rows
for revenue, profit in data:
    row = TEMPLATE.format(revenue=revenue, profit=profit, percent=profit / revenue)
    print(row)

2. Run it to display the following aligned table. Note that PERCENT is correctly displayed as a percentage:

REVENUE | PROFIT | PERCENT
  1,000 |    +10 |   1.00%
  2,000 |    +17 |   0.85%
  2,500 |   +170 |   6.80%
  2,500 |   -170 |  -6.80%