What does the concept of a collision mean in the context of hashing?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

To understand hashing collisions, we start by clarifying what a collision means in this context.
Option a: 'When given two distinct keys x1 and x2, the hash value is identical, i.e. h(x1)=h(x2)'. This directly captures the formal definition: two different inputs producing the same hash output.
Option b: 'When given two distinct keys x1 and x2, the hash value is different, i.e. h(x1)≠h(x2)'. This is the opposite of a collision; it describes a situation where no collision occurs between those two keys, so it is incorrect as the definition.
Option c: 'When the slot at the hashed position is already taken by another key'. This describes a practical consequence or manifestation of a collision during insertion (e.g., in open addressing, you encounter a filled slot and must probe). While related, it is not the formal definition of a collision itself, so it’s not the best answer to define the concept.
Option d: 'When the use of the function leads to clustering'. Clustering refers to a phenomenon where hash values group together due to patterns in the distribution or probing strategy, which is an effect that can accompany hashing, not the definition of a collision.
Overall, option a correctly defines a collision as two distinct keys mapping to the same hash value, while the other options describe related ideas or consequences but do not define the concept itself.

FIT1008-FIT1054-FIT2085_S2_2025 Week 7 Workshop Quiz

What does the concept of a collision mean in the context of hashing?

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