So if A is the hashed-to index into your table, then B is a function of A. When you are doing your linear probe and you see a value along with its probe count,

So if A is the hashed-to index into your table, then B is a function of A. When you are doing your linear probe and you see a value along with its probe count, it either 1. Has a higher probe count, this means it's hash is further away than yours => less than yours 2. Has a lower probe count than yours. This means its hash is closer than yours => greater than yours 3. Is equal in probe count to yours. That means it's in the same bucket => equal to yours.