AlgorithmsStudy Notes

Memory Trick

Part of Merge Sort — GCSE Computer Science

This study notes covers Memory Trick within Merge Sort for GCSE Computer Science. Revise Merge Sort in Algorithms for GCSE Computer Science with 15 exam-style questions and 10 flashcards. This topic appears less often, but it can still be a useful differentiator on mixed-topic papers. It is section 6 of 7 in this topic. Use this study notes to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.

Topic position

Section 6 of 7

Practice

15 questions

Recall

10 flashcards

Memory Trick

random(1, 6) = 1 to 6 inclusive = dice roll
Think: What numbers could a dice show?

Keep building this topic

Read this section alongside the surrounding pages in Merge Sort. That gives you the full topic sequence instead of a single isolated revision point.

Deep Dive: Uses of Random Numbers Exam Tips Video Lesson Digital Dice

Practice Questions for Merge Sort

Which design strategy does merge sort use?

A. Brute force — try every possible ordering
B. Greedy — always pick the locally best element
C. Divide and conquer — split the list, sort halves, then merge
D. Dynamic programming — store results to avoid repeated work

1 markfoundation

Describe how merge sort works. You should include what happens in both the divide and merge phases.

3 marksstandard

Quick Recall Flashcards

Is merge sort a recursive algorithm?

Yes - it calls itself on smaller sub-lists

What technique does merge sort use?

Divide and conquer - splits list in half repeatedly then merges sorted halves

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Deep Dive: Uses of Random Numbers

Exam Tips