3.1 Fundamentals of AlgorithmsStudy Notes

Random Number Functions

Part of Merge Sort · GCSE GCSE Computer Science revision

This study notes covers Random Number Functions within Merge Sort for GCSE Computer Science. Revise Merge Sort in 3.1 Fundamentals of Algorithms for GCSE Computer Science with 16 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 4 of 8 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 4 of 8

Practice

16 questions

Recall

10 flashcards

Random Number Functions

GCSE Pseudocode	What It Does	Example
random(min, max)	Returns random integer between min and max (inclusive)	random(1, 6) // dice roll

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.

Sorting Algorithm Flowchart Deep Dive: Uses of Random Numbers 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

16 questions on Merge Sort — practise free

Instant marking, adaptive difficulty, and 10 spaced repetition flashcards. Free until your GCSEs.

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Sorting Algorithm Flowchart

Deep Dive: Uses of Random Numbers