random cover of a range

[Andrei Alexandrescu]

Bill Baxter wrote:
> I found a pdf[1] that has a summary of the probabilities associated
> with finding empty slots in the context of hashing.
> If I'm reading it right, if you have a load factor (fraction full) of
> f, then it's expected it will take you 1/(1-f) trials to get an empty
> if you just continue picking randomly one after the other.
> 
> --bb
> [1] http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/~cs2011/lect/2711_HashProbe-4.pdf

Thank you, that's exactly the explanation I was looking for.

Andrei