Load Factor
Domain: Data Structures
🎯 Motivation
The ratio of stored entries to total buckets. When it gets too high, collisions increase and the hash table should be resized.
📋 Concrete Example
A hash table with 10 buckets and 7 entries has load factor 0.7. At 0.7, it is getting crowded. Typically, resize when load factor exceeds 0.75.
🔗 Analogy
How full a car park is. At 30% full, finding a spot is easy. At 90% full, you circle around searching. When it gets too full, the car park needs to expand.