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Core Java · interview question

How would you explain a potential consequence of not overriding hashCode() when overriding equals() in a class used as a key in a HashMap in an interview?

Multiple choiceHardchapter-4-curatedpremiumcore-javacode-reading-with-collections
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Answer and explanation

Correct answer

B. Inconsistent behavior when storing and retrieving keys

Why

Not overriding hashCode() when equals() is overridden can lead to inconsistent behavior because the HashMap relies on both methods to manage keys. It can result in keys being distributed incorrectly across the map's buckets.

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