Everything you wanted to know about the running time of Mergesort but were afraid to ask

  • Authors:

  • Ian Parberry

  • Affiliations:

  • Univ. of North Texas

  • Venue:
  • ACM SIGACT News
  • Year:
  • 1998

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Abstract

Although mergesort is an algorithm that is frequently glossed over in textbooks, it provides fertile ground for planting ideas about algorithm analysis in the minds of students. Why can we assume that n is a power of 2? How big is the increase in constant multiple if we do? And how do we analyze it if we don't? Here then is an excruciatingly detailed analysis of mergesor t for the student whose enquiring mind truly wants to know.