Data Structures- Hashmaps, Sets, Hash Tables, Hashing and Collisions
Observing hashmaps with python dictionaries
What is a Hashtable/Hashmap?
A hashtable is a data structure that with a collection of key-value pairs, where each key maps to a value, and the keys must be unique and hashable.
- In Python there is a built in hashtable known as a dictionary.
The primary purpose of a hashtable is to provide efficient lookup, insertion, and deletion operations. When an element is to be inserted into the hashtable, a hash function is used to map the key to a specific index in the underlying array that is used to store the key-value pairs. The value is then stored at that index. When searching for a value, the hash function is used again to find the index where the value is stored.
The key advantage of a hashtable over other data structures like arrays and linked lists is its average-case time complexity for lookup, insertion, and deletion operations.
- The typical time complexity of a hashtable is 0(1).
What is Hashing and Collision?
Hashing is the process of mapping a given key to a value in a hash table or hashmap, using a hash function. The hash function takes the key as input and produces a hash value or hash code, which is then used to determine the index in the underlying array where the value is stored. The purpose of hashing is to provide a quick and efficient way to access data, by eliminating the need to search through an entire data structure to find a value.
However, it is possible for two different keys to map to the same hash value, resulting in a collision. When a collision occurs, there are different ways to resolve it, depending on the collision resolution strategy used.
Python's dictionary implementation is optimized to handle collisions efficiently, and the performance of the dictionary is generally very good, even in the presence of collisions. However, if the number of collisions is very high, the performance of the dictionary can degrade, so it is important to choose a good hash function that minimizes collisions when designing a Python dictionary.
What is a Set?
my_set = set([1, 2, 3, 2, 1])
print(my_set)
# What do you notice in the output?
#
#
# Why do you think Sets are in the same tech talk as Hashmaps/Hashtables?
#
#
- I notice that there are only numbers in the output and it didn't duplicate the numbers.
- I think that sets are in the tech talk because they both do not push any duplicates.
lover_album = {
"title": "Lover",
"artist": "Taylor Swift",
"year": 2019,
"genre": ["Pop", "Synth-pop"],
"tracks": {
1: "I Forgot That You Existed",
2: "Cruel Summer",
3: "Lover",
4: "The Man",
5: "The Archer",
6: "I Think He Knows",
7: "Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince",
8: "Paper Rings",
9: "Cornelia Street",
10: "Death By A Thousand Cuts",
11: "London Boy",
12: "Soon You'll Get Better (feat. Dixie Chicks)",
13: "False God",
14: "You Need To Calm Down",
15: "Afterglow",
16: "Me! (feat. Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco)",
17: "It's Nice To Have A Friend",
18: "Daylight"
}
}
# What data structures do you see?
#
#
# Printing the dictionary
print(lover_album)
- A data structure that I see is a set.
print(lover_album.get('tracks'))
# or
print(lover_album['tracks'])
print(lover_album.get('tracks')[4])
# or
print(lover_album['tracks'][4])
lover_album["producer"] = ['Taylor Swift', 'Jack Antonoff', 'Joel Little', 'Taylor Swift', 'Louis Bell', 'Frank Dukes']
# What can you change to make sure there are no duplicate producers?
#
#
# Printing the dictionary
print(lover_album)
- To get no duplicates in the output you could make it into a set.
lover_album["tracks"].update({19: "All Of The Girls You Loved Before"})
# How would add an additional genre to the dictionary, like electropop?
#
#
# Printing the dictionary
print(lover_album)
- I don't really understand this question. I am confused on whether you are talking about adding a new album or just the genre to lover_album.
for k,v in lover_album.items(): # iterate using a for loop for key and value
print(str(k) + ": " + str(v))
# Write your own code to print tracks in readable format
#
#
print("Tracks:")
for track_number, song_title in lover_album["tracks"].items():
print(str(track_number) + ". " + song_title)
def search():
search = input("What would you like to know about the album?")
if lover_album.get(search.lower()) == None:
print("Invalid Search")
else:
print(lover_album.get(search.lower()))
search()
# This is a very basic code segment, how can you improve upon this code?
#
#
- I could make the code more simpler using a set.
Hacks
- Answer ALL questions in the code segments
- Create a diagram or comparison illustration (Canva).
- What are the pro and cons of using this data structure?
- Dictionary vs List
- Expand upon the code given to you, possible improvements in comments
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Build your own album showing features of a python dictionary
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For Mr. Yeung's class: Justify your favorite Taylor Swift song, answer may effect seed
graduation_album = {
"title": "Graduation",
"artist": "Kanye West",
"year": 2007,
"songs": {
1: "Good Morning",
2: "Champion",
3: "I Wonder",
4: "Stronger",
5: "Good Life(Ft. T-Pain)",
6: "Flashing Lights(Ft. Dwele)",
7: "Can't Tell Me Nothing",
8: "Barry Bonds(Ft. Lil Wayne)",
9: "The Glory",
10: "Homecoming(Ft. Chris Martin)",
}
}
# Printing the dictionary in a readable format
print("Album Title:", graduation_album["title"])
print("Artist:", graduation_album["artist"])
print("Year:", graduation_album["year"])
print("\nSongs:")
for song_num, title in graduation_album["songs"].items():
print(f"{song_num}. {title}")