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hash function

Source: The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03)

	hash function
     
         A hash coding function which assigns a data
        item distinguished by some "key" into one of a number of
        possible "hash buckets" in a hash table.  The hash function is
        usually combined with another more precise function.
     
        For example a program might take a string of letters and put
        it in one of twenty six lists depending on its first letter.
        Ideally, a hash function should distribute items evenly
        between the buckets to reduce the number of hash collisions.
        If, for example, the strings were names beginning with "Mr.",
        "Miss" or "Mrs." then taking the first letter would be a very
        poor hash function because all names would hash the same.
     
        (1997-08-03)

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