question about string hash function

[moslem]

Hello every one,
i've a string hash function it's performace is already good but there is some things that happens inside it and idon't know why
the hash function:
unsigned int table::hash(const string &word)
{
int hash = 0;
int n=word.length();
for(int i=0;i<n;i++)
hash = 31*hash+word[i];
return hash % MAX_TABLE;
}
my questions about it
why we multiply by 31 the hash every time is this for making weighting for the characters or any thing else?
thanks inadvance.

[Harrington]

Stack of information can be obtained from here Hashing algorythms and examples , explanations

http://www.partow.net/programming/ha...FormsOfHashing

Should help you on this extensive subject

[Papabravo]

Notice that 31 is a Mersenne prime

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mersenne_prime

and the algorithm is related to the Linear Congruential Random Number Generator. Good random number generators seem to have desirable features for a hashing algorithm.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linear_...tial_generator