Is Object.GetHashCode() unique to a reference or a value?

Question

The MSDN documentation on Object.GetHashCode() describes 3 contradicting rules for how the method should work.

1. If two objects of the same type represent the

Answer 1

Rules 1 & 3 aren't really a contradiction.

For a reference type the hash code is derived from a reference to the object - change an object's property and the reference is the same.

For value types the hash code is derived from the value, change a property of a value type and you get a completely new instance of the value type.