[Tex/LaTex] Two mini pages side by side vertically aligned on top

minipage

I would like to have two mini pages side by side, vertically aligned on top.

The left hand mini page features a table, the right hand side simple text. Alas, the right mini page is a little lower compared to the left one.

\documentclass{article}
\setlength{\parindent}{0pt}
\begin{document}
\begin{minipage}[t]{.5\textwidth}%
%\hrule
\begin{tabular}{rl}
abc & def \\
abc & def \\
\end{tabular}
\end{minipage}%
\begin{minipage}[t]{.5\textwidth}%
%\hrule
abc

def

ghi

jkl
\end{minipage}
\end{document}

If you comment in the two \hrule commands, they are on par. How come? What am I doing wrong?

BTW: if the table only features one line, the mini pages are on par, even without the hrule commands.

Best Answer

You need 

 \begin{tabular}[t]{rl}

Otherwise the baseline of the first line of the minipage goes through the centre of the tabular.

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