Quadratic Probing
Quadratic Probing is a collision resolution technique used in hash tables. When two keys hash to the same index, this method finds the next available slot by using a quadratic function. Instead of checking the next slot linearly, it checks slots at increasing intervals, such as 1, 4, 9, etc., based on the square of the probe number.
This approach helps reduce clustering, which can occur with linear probing. By spreading out the search for an empty slot, quadratic probing improves the efficiency of hash table operations, especially when the table is nearly full.