I am learning hash tables, and I would like to know how to determine the average length of the linked lists.
For example: A hash table holds about 10,000 employee records. Each record is indexed by the 2-character initials of the employee name, transformed into integers using the mapping: A=01, B=02, C=03, and Z=26. On average no more than 8 comparisons is made every time a search is requested.
How would you determine determine the actual average length of the linked lists, in the hash table, that is pointed to by the hash value slots?