MERGE SORT Name__________________________ Follow the algorithm
for a merge sort and analyze its usefulness.
The algorithm for a merge sort is as follows:
1. Split the set of cards into two equal sets (or almost equal
with an odd number of cards). 2. Repeat step 1 until there are no
more than 2 cards in each set. 3. For each set, flip over both
cards. If they are in order, flip face down. If they are not,
swap
them and then flip them both face down. 4. Take two sets and
merge them as follows:
A. Flip over the smallest card from each set. B. Place the
smaller one in the first open slot in a new set, then flip it
face-down. C. Flip over the next card in the set that just came
from, so there are 2 face-up cards. D. Repeat steps A-C until there
are no face-up cards.
5. Repeat step 4 until all sets are merged.
Perform the merge sort on your set of 8 cards.
1) What is the least number of steps this method could take?
2) What is the maximum number of steps this method could
take?
3) What about if you used n cards?
4) If you were to alphabetize the books on a bookshelf using
this method, what would that look like?
