Dictionary Operation in Constant Time
Using linear probing, dictionary operation can be implemented in constant time. In other words, insert, remove and find operations can be implemented in O(1), as long as the load factor of the hash table is a constant strictly less than one. This analysis makes the (unrealistic) assumption that the hash function is completely random, but can be extended also to 5-independent hash functions. Weaker properties, such as universal hashing, are not strong enough to ensure the constant-time operation of linear probing, but one practical method of hash function generation, tabulation hashing, again leads to a guaranteed constant expected time performance despite not being 5-independent.
Read more about this topic: Linear Probing
Famous quotes containing the words dictionary, operation, constant and/or time:
“I am hungry and you give me
a dictionary to decipher.”
—Anne Sexton (1928–1974)
“It is critical vision alone which can mitigate the unimpeded operation of the automatic.”
—Marshall McLuhan (1911–1980)
“Just as the constant increase of entropy is the basic law of the universe, so it is the basic law of life to be ever more highly structured and to struggle against entropy.”
—Václav Havel (b. 1936)
“For of those [cities] that were great in earlier times, most of them have now become small, while those which were great in my time were small formerly.”
—Herodotus (c. 484–424 B.C.)