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AlgorithmsLow Exam FrequencyOCR

Merge Sort

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 pick up marks when it appears in mixed-topic papers.

Study this topic

1

Video Lesson

Notes2

Digital Dice

Introduction3

Sorting Algorithm Flowchart

Diagram4

Random Number Functions

Notes5

Deep Dive: Uses of Random Numbers

Notes6

Memory Trick

Notes7

Exam Tips

Notes8

Knowledge Organiser: Random Numbers

Summary

Sample Flashcards

What technique does merge sort use?
Divide and conquer - splits list in half repeatedly then merges sorted halves
Is merge sort a recursive algorithm?
Yes - it calls itself on smaller sub-lists

Exam 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

15

exam-style questions

10

revision flashcards

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