The hashCode() method of java.lang.Object

[Venkat Ramsimha]

consider the following code:

public class Test
{
public static void main(String args[])
{
}
int i;
public boolean equals(Object o)//line1
{
Test t = (Test)o;//line2
if (t.i == this.i)//line3
return true;//line4
return false;//line5
}
public int hashCode() //line6
{
return i * 31;//line7
}

}

On the above program i have some queries:
1.What does it mean to declare (Object o) in line1
2.What does it mean to declare Test t = (Test)o; in line2
3.What does it mean to declare if (t.i == this.i) in line3
4.What does it mean to declare return true; in line4
5.What does it mean to declare return false; in line5
6.what is the need in this program to implement hashCode() method
7.What is the need of hashCode() method to return i*31;why in particular i*31 value is returned

i would be very thankful if i get the queries to be solved.

tx
carl

[Pradeep bhatt]

Read this tutorial
http://www.jchq.net/certkey/0902certkey.htm