public boolean remove(Object item)
   {
      int index, origIndex;
      //compute the hash index of item for a table of size n
      index = (item.hashCode()& Integer.MAX_VALUE)%table.length;
      //save the original hash index
      origIndex = index;
      // compute the hash table index
      index = (item.hashCode() & Integer.MAX_VALUE) % table.length;

      // scan the array and return true if item is in list
      while (index != origIndex)
      {
         if(table[index] == null ||
         table[index].deletedData == false && table[index].available == true)
         return false;

         if (table[index].data.equals(item) && table[index].deletedData == false)
         {
            table[index].data = -2;
            table[index].deletedData = true;
            table[index].available = true;

            // decrement hash table size and return true
            hashtableSize--;
            return true;
          }

         index = (index+1)%table.length;
      }

            return false;
   }