Map Entry
A HashMap may need to store multiple entries (nodes) in a single bucket.
"AL": hashCode=2091, mod16=11
"AK": hashCode=2090, mod16=10
"AZ": hashCode=2105, mod16=9
"AR": hashCode=2097, mod16=1 // Bucket 1
"CA": hashCode=2142, mod16=14
"CO": hashCode=2156, mod16=12
"CT": hashCode=2161, mod16=1 // Bucket 1
"DE": hashCode=2177, mod16=1 // Bucket 1
...
"WA": hashCode=2762, mod16=10
"WV": hashCode=2783, mod16=15
"WI": hashCode=2770, mod16=2
"WY": hashCode=2786, mod16=2
Each node has a field that can reference another node.
- When the second entry is added to a bucket, its reference is added to the first entry.
states.put("CT", new USState("CT","Connecticut","Hartford","Jan 9 1788",3576452));
As more entries are added to a bucket, they are chained as a linked list from one entry to the next.
states.put("DE", new USState("DE","Delaware","Dover","Dec 7 1787",952065));

The more entries in a bucket, the less efficient retrieval becomes.
- To find the entry with the key
DE, theHashMapcomputes the bucket, but then must visit each bucket entry starting with the first until it finds the key.