Not to be confused with Encryption
Hashing in mathematics is a technique used to map data of arbitrary size to fixed-size values. Here’s a brief explanation:
- Function: A hash function takes an input (or ‘message’) and returns a fixed-size string of characters, which is typically a numeric value.
- Properties: Good hash functions are deterministic (same input always produces the same output), fast to compute, and minimize collisions (different inputs producing the same output).
- Applications: Hashing is used in various fields, including cryptography, data storage and retrieval, and error checking.
- Examples: Common hash functions include MD5, SHA-1, and SHA-256.
- Collision handling: Since the input space is usually larger than the output space, collisions are inevitable. Various methods exist to handle these collisions in practical applications.
Would you like me to elaborate on any specific aspect of hashing?