in fig7 equals bca 2 which is greater than the search value the equation is executed again to find the next probe point below the present probe point p 2 12 6 2 3 the key value at the next probe point entry 3 point u201c b u201d in fig7 is 813 c lower than the search value the fact that the valid bit equals zero indicating that the associated data value is invalid is irrelevant to this probe operation the formula is repeated to determine the next probe point above the current probe point p 3 12 6 3 2 1 5 it is possible to probe the entry above or below the returned probe point though the choice should always be made uniformly here the number of entries to skip to the next probe point is rounded up resulting in a directive to move up two entries to entry five or point u201c c u201d in fig7 the key value of a 458 is still above the search value of a 457 so the formula is repeated p 4 12 6 3 2 2 0 5 adhering to the convention of rounding up the next probe point entry four point u201c d u201d in fig7 contains a key value of a 457 which is the search value the valid bit in the respective valid entry indicates that the associated data value is valid and that data value 1008 is available for retrieval consider the case where entry four of the search table of fig7 contains a key value of a 456 instead of a 457 the search would not have made a match and this information would be returned to a.