Hashing Questions
The main difference between a hash table and a queue is their underlying data structure and the way they store and retrieve data.
A hash table, also known as a hash map, is a data structure that uses a hash function to map keys to values. It provides efficient insertion, deletion, and retrieval of data by using the key as an index to directly access the corresponding value. Hash tables are typically used when quick access to data is required, and they provide constant time complexity for these operations on average.
On the other hand, a queue is a linear data structure that follows the First-In-First-Out (FIFO) principle. It stores elements in a sequential manner, where new elements are added at the rear and existing elements are removed from the front. Queues are commonly used in scenarios where the order of elements is important, such as scheduling tasks or processing requests. The operations performed on a queue include enqueue (adding an element to the rear) and dequeue (removing an element from the front), both of which have a time complexity of O(1).
In summary, the main difference between a hash table and a queue lies in their data storage and retrieval mechanisms. A hash table provides direct access to values based on a key, while a queue follows a specific order for adding and removing elements.