NIELIT 2016 MAR Scientist C - Section C: 56

Question

The average search time of hashing, with  linear probing will be less if the load factor

• A. is far less than one
• B. equals one
• C. is far greater than one
• D. none of these

Answer 1

load factor mostly let you know how full the hash table is. So, while in linear probing, the search will take time if the consecutive probes are there. Thus I think, we can go with option c.

Comments

load factor for open addressing techniques cannot be greater than 1!

Answer 2

Load factor tells the average number of keys per slot.

That means,

• if load factor is large, collisions become frequent.
  And as it is a linear probing.
  We may have to traverse around in the array to find the element.
   
• if load factor is very less. That means there are more slots than keys.
  So we may get the element on the first search only.

That’s why Average Search Time will be less.