Sstrhsrtj

I want to have equations in a column of a table, using the amsmath cases option, but where the column is left aligned. The MWE below shows an example of the equations that I need in the column, with the second table showing the layout I am after.

What I found online suggests you need the p{} option in order to include the cases option from amsmath. The array package has been suggested as a way to get the left aligned in the second column, but I cannot get it working as I expected it to.

Appreciate any pointers to what I am doing wrong.

documentclass[a4paper,10pt]{article}



usepackage{amsmath}

usepackage{amssymb}

usepackage{array}



begin{document}

%

begin{table}

 begin{tabular}{| c>{raggedrightarraybackslash}p{10cm} |} hline

Option 1 & [M_f(t) =  begin{cases} 

      M_f(0) & t leq tau \

      M_f^dag & t > tau 

   end{cases} ]\ hline

Option 2 & [ M_f(t) = begin{cases}

            left[M_f^dag - M_f(0)right]left[frac{exp(-0.25 t) - 1}{exp(-0.25 tau) - 1}right] + M_f(0) & t leq tau  \

            M_f^dag & t> tau

                end{cases} ]  \ hline

 end{tabular}

 caption{The equations I need}

 label{a label}

end{table}





begin{table}

 begin{tabular}{| l  l |} hline

Option 1 & $x^2 + 3$ \ hline

Option 2 & $sin(x) + text{a much longer equation than the others to show the formatting}$ \ hline

 end{tabular}

 caption{The layout I want}

 label{a 2nd label}

end{table}



end{document}

like this?

documentclass[a4paper,10pt]{article}

usepackage{amsmath, amssymb}

usepackage{makecell}



begin{document}

begin{table}

    centering

    setcellgapes{3pt}

    makegapedcells

begin{tabular}{| c l|}

    hline

Option 1 &  $ M_f(t) =  begin{cases}

                        M_f(0)      & t leq tau \

                        M_f^dag    & t > tau

                        end{cases}$    \

    hline

Option 2 &  $ M_f(t) = begin{cases}

                        left[M_f^dag - M_f(0)right]

                        left[dfrac{exp(-0.25 t) - 1}

                                    {exp(-0.25 tau) - 1}right]

                        + M_f(0)    & t leq tau  \

                        M_f^dag    & t> tau

                        end{cases}$    \

    hline

end{tabular}

caption{The equations I need}

label{a label}

end{table}

end{document}