what type of key does a hashing algorithm use
Hash function Hash functions are used in hash tables,[1] to quickly locate a data record (e.g.,Â a dictionary definition) given its search key (the headword). Specifically, the hash function is used to map the search key to a list; the index gives the place in the hash table where the corresponding record should be stored. Hash tables, also, are used to implement associative arrays and dynamic sets.[2]