I'm currently learning table constructions in XHTML. Currently, i'm at the part where we learn how to split up tables using <thead>, <tbody> and <tfoot>.

The book instructs us to construct a table and split up the sections (page 147).

The example code given is:

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<td colspan="4">This is the head of the table</td>
</tr>
</thead>

Please note the tag that i have bolded. Why do we use a <td> tag. Since this is the head of the table, why don't we use the <th> tag.

I'm thinking of doing it like this:

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th colspan="4">This is the head of the table</th>
</tr>
</thead>

Is there anything wrong with my way or is there a more sinister reason for the book to teach me otherwise?

Thank you in advance for all your thoughts and views.

I believe that either way you will get the same results. The only difference is that with <th>, the text gets bolded automatically in most browsers. The code in the book may have been a typo.