Why is it recommended that the swap partition size be double that of the RAM size?
Specifically, why would I need to store data stored in the RAM twice??
Answer
Swap partition having double the memory size is just a general guideline, not a hard and fast rule. You'll need minimum 1 X your memory size if you suspend-to-disk (hibernation), and add enough spare for usage of 'swapped' memory which goes beyond your physical one. Hence the recommended 1.5 to 2 times.
I would think it also depends on the nature of your application usage and size of your physical memory etc. If you have anything beyond 2GB RAM and using non-memory intensive applications most of the time, you might not need swap partition at all, not big one anyway.
Having a big swap file and slow harddisk can be really punishing for your system too.
Here are a few useful reads:
Ubuntu SwapFAQ
SUperuser - Swap partition size for 4GB RAM
Do I Need a Swap Partition and If So, How Big?
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