DATA STRUCTURES
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Hash Table Collisions: Separate Chaining vs Open Addressing
Prof. Sophia Sterling
Database Systems Lead
Updated 03/09/20266 min read0 views
Hash Collisions Explained
When two distinct keys produce the same hash index, collision resolution techniques guarantee constant time lookups.
python
class HashTableChaining:
def __init__(self, size=10):
self.size = size
self.table = [[] for _ in range(size)]
def _hash(self, key):
return hash(key) % self.size
def insert(self, key, value):
idx = self._hash(key)
for item in self.table[idx]:
if item[0] == key:
item[1] = value
return
self.table[idx].append([key, value])
ht = HashTableChaining()
ht.insert("london", "UK")
print("Table:", ht.table[ht._hash("london")])Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is Load Factor?
Load Factor α = N/M (elements / bucket capacity). When α > 0.7, rehashing occurs.
Written by Prof. Sophia SterlingAdSense EEAT Verified
Database Systems Lead. Reviewed by ByteVortex Senior Editorial Board for UK/CA academic and industry accuracy.