Question 1

What is the primary advantage of using lists in a merge sort over static arrays?

Accepted Answer

Lists allow for simple delete operations without shifting elements.

Answer

Lists require less memory

Answer

Static arrays are faster to access

Answer

Static arrays are simpler to implement

Question 2

What does the merge function do in a merge sort algorithm?

Accepted Answer

It takes two lists and merges them into a single sorted list.

Answer

It sorts the list in descending order

Answer

It splits the data into two halves

Answer

It creates a new list with duplicates removed

Question 3

In the merge function, what do the 'index1' and 'index2' variables track?

Accepted Answer

They track the current position in each of the two lists being merged.

Answer

They count the number of items merged

Answer

They store the sizes of the lists

Answer

They represent the total number of merges performed

Question 4

What is the terminating condition for the outer while loop in merge sort?

Accepted Answer

The length of the list of items must equal one.

Answer

The list must be sorted completely

Answer

All items must be in the same list

Answer

No more items can be added to the list

Question 5

What is a key characteristic of the merge sort algorithm?

Accepted Answer

It uses a divide and conquer approach.

Answer

It is faster than other sorting algorithms for small datasets

Answer

It sorts items in place

Answer

It is a recursive only algorithm

Question 6

What happens when all items from one of the lists have been merged into the new list?

Accepted Answer

The remaining items from the other list are appended to the new list.

Answer

The merge function restarts

Answer

The merging stops temporarily

Answer

An error occurs

Question 7

Which programming languages commonly support lists used in a merge sort?

Accepted Answer

Python, VB, and C#.

Answer

JavaScript, HTML, and CSS

Answer

Java, Ruby, and Go

Answer

PHP, SQL, and Swift

Question 8

How does merge sort optimize for parallel processing?

Accepted Answer

By utilizing recursion.

Answer

By combining multiple algorithms

Answer

By using iterative methods only

Answer

By reducing memory usage

Question 9

What do the conditions inside the if else if statement inside the merge function determine?

Accepted Answer

Which item to append to the new list based on comparisons.

Answer

When to finish merging the lists

Answer

How to split the lists further

Answer

How to delete items from the lists

Question 10

Why might it feel like cheating to have single-item lists in the merge sort implementation?

Accepted Answer

Because it seems like a trivial way to prepare the data for merging.

Answer

Because it contradicts sorting principles

Answer

Because it's too simple for complex data

Answer

Because it uses unnecessary memory

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