information:highlighting, quality:correction, structural:scholar_edition, linguistic:voice_change, information:filtering
Performance

The performance of a hash table is dependent on the hash function's ability in generating quasi-random numbers (σ {\displaystyle \sigma }) for entries in the hash table where K {\displaystyle K}, n {\displaystyle n} and h (x) {\displaystyle h(x)} denotes the key, number of buckets and the hash function such that σ = h (K) % n {\displaystyle \sigma \ =\ h(K)\ \%\ n}. If the hash function generates the same σ {\displaystyle \sigma } for distinct keys (K 1 ≠ K 2, h (K 1) = h (K 2) {\displaystyle K_{1}\neq K_{2},\ h(K_{1})\ =\ h(K_{2})}), this results in collision, which is dealt with in a variety of ways. The constant time complexity (O (1) {\displaystyle O(1)}) of the operation in a hash table is presupposed on the condition that the hash function doesn't generate colliding indices; thus, the performance of the hash table is directly proportional to the chosen hash function's ability to disperse the indices. However, construction of such a hash function is practically infeasible, that being so, implementations depend on case-specific collision resolution techniques in achieving higher performance.