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Set Does not allow Duplicate Element
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Deepak Sahu
Greenhorn
Joined: Dec 08, 2009
Posts: 15
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Hi ,
Can any one provide the answer for "Why Set Does not allow duplicate elements".
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Wouter Oet
Saloon Keeper
Joined: Oct 25, 2008
Posts: 2700
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What do you think why it's not allowed?
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"Any fool can write code that a computer can understand. Good programmers write code that humans can understand." --- Martin Fowler
Please correct my English.
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Seetharaman Venkatasamy
Ranch Hand
Joined: Jan 28, 2008
Posts: 5575
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I will put it in other way,
Why List allows duplicate elements ? and do you know the meaning of Abstract Data Type(ADT)?
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Rob Spoor
Sheriff
Joined: Oct 27, 2005
Posts: 19232
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The simple answer: because that's the definition of a set, in just about any context including math and programming.
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SCJP 1.4 - SCJP 6 - SCWCD 5
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fred rosenberger
lowercase baba
Bartender
Joined: Oct 02, 2003
Posts: 10043
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Because sometimes you need a collection that doesn't allow duplicate elements, and you have to give it some kind of name.
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Never ascribe to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.
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Nico Van Brandt
Ranch Hand
Joined: Mar 31, 2011
Posts: 66
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It's by design, so whatever you think... it's supposed to be that way 
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Oracle Java SE6 Certified Programmer
Oracle Java EE5 Certified Web Component Developer
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Dave Brock
Greenhorn
Joined: Apr 14, 2011
Posts: 2
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Unlike using a List, which can include duplicates, a Set does not. Take a look at the Java API definition of a Set:
A collection that contains no duplicate elements. More formally, sets contain no pair of elements e1 and e2 such that e1.equals(e2), and at most one null element. As implied by its name, this interface models the mathematical set abstraction.
As it says, that is the true definition of a set as in the math and science industries. You will often need a List for when you do not want duplicates and want things to be distinct.
If you want information on ADT for Java, this might help you:
http://css.freetonik.com/wiki/abstract_data_types_and_algorithms:basic_java_review
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subject: Set Does not allow Duplicate Element
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