---
title: Open Addressing
TARGET DECK: Obsidian::STEM
FILE TAGS: hashing::open
tags:
  - hashing
---

## Overview

In **open addressing**, keys always reside in the hash table. Collisions are dealt with by searching for other empty buckets within the hash table.

%%ANKI
Basic
What does "closed" refer to in term "closed hashing"?
Back: A key must reside in the hash table.
Reference: “Hash Tables: Open vs Closed Addressing | Programming.Guide,” accessed June 12, 2024, [https://programming.guide/hash-tables-open-vs-closed-addressing.html](https://programming.guide/hash-tables-open-vs-closed-addressing.html).
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%%ANKI
Basic
What does "open" refer to in term "open addressing"?
Back: A key is not necessarily stored in the slot it hashes to.
Reference: “Hash Tables: Open vs Closed Addressing | Programming.Guide,” accessed June 12, 2024, [https://programming.guide/hash-tables-open-vs-closed-addressing.html](https://programming.guide/hash-tables-open-vs-closed-addressing.html).
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END%%

%%ANKI
Cloze
{Open} addressing is also known as {closed} hashing.
Reference: “Hash Tables: Open vs Closed Addressing | Programming.Guide,” accessed June 12, 2024, [https://programming.guide/hash-tables-open-vs-closed-addressing.html](https://programming.guide/hash-tables-open-vs-closed-addressing.html).
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END%%

%%ANKI
Cloze
The following is an example of {closed} hashing.
![[open-addressing.png]]
Reference: “Hash Tables: Open vs Closed Addressing | Programming.Guide,” accessed June 12, 2024, [https://programming.guide/hash-tables-open-vs-closed-addressing.html](https://programming.guide/hash-tables-open-vs-closed-addressing.html).
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END%%

%%ANKI
Cloze
The following is an example of {open} addressing.
![[open-addressing.png]]
Reference: “Hash Tables: Open vs Closed Addressing | Programming.Guide,” accessed June 12, 2024, [https://programming.guide/hash-tables-open-vs-closed-addressing.html](https://programming.guide/hash-tables-open-vs-closed-addressing.html).
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END%%

%%ANKI
Basic
What is the theoretical maximum load factor in open addressing?
Back: $1$
Reference: “Hash Tables: Open vs Closed Addressing | Programming.Guide,” accessed June 12, 2024, [https://programming.guide/hash-tables-open-vs-closed-addressing.html](https://programming.guide/hash-tables-open-vs-closed-addressing.html).
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%%ANKI
Basic
*Why* is the theoretical maximum load factor of open addressing bounded?
Back: An open addressing hash table can only store as many entries as slots.
Reference: “Hash Tables: Open vs Closed Addressing | Programming.Guide,” accessed June 12, 2024, [https://programming.guide/hash-tables-open-vs-closed-addressing.html](https://programming.guide/hash-tables-open-vs-closed-addressing.html).
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END%%

%%ANKI
Basic
When is the load factor of an open addressing hash table $0$?
Back: When no entries are stored in the table.
Reference: Thomas H. Cormen et al., Introduction to Algorithms, Fourth edition (Cambridge, Massachusett: The MIT Press, 2022).
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END%%

%%ANKI
Basic
When is the load factor of a open addressing hash table $1$?
Back: When there exist the same number of total entries as slots.
Reference: Thomas H. Cormen et al., Introduction to Algorithms, Fourth edition (Cambridge, Massachusett: The MIT Press, 2022).
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END%%

%%ANKI
Basic
When is the load factor of an open addressing hash table $> 1$?
Back: N/A
Reference: Thomas H. Cormen et al., Introduction to Algorithms, Fourth edition (Cambridge, Massachusett: The MIT Press, 2022).
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END%%

## Bibliography

* “Hash Tables: Open vs Closed Addressing | Programming.Guide,” accessed June 12, 2024, [https://programming.guide/hash-tables-open-vs-closed-addressing.html](https://programming.guide/hash-tables-open-vs-closed-addressing.html).
* Thomas H. Cormen et al., Introduction to Algorithms, Fourth edition (Cambridge, Massachusett: The MIT Press, 2022).