Implementation of a sorting algorithm

June 2024

Samia Ben Souici

S12345678
North Wales Management School
Wrexham Glyndŵr University
Wales, UK
[email protected]

I. INTRODUCTION

In today's data-driven world, the sheer volume of data generated requires efficient processing and
cleaning to inform meaningful decisions. A crucial step in this process is selecting the optimal strategy
for data processing, ensuring that the data serves its intended purpose.
This paper details the approach taken to process a raw data list of countries and their populations.
Specifically, it explains the sorting algorithm chosen and the rationale behind the selection. The process
is outlined, including inputs and outputs.
Attached is a Python script (.py) with code and comments for each step, providing a comprehensive
overview of the implementation. This rewritten intro maintains the same level of detail and clarity as the
original while presenting it in a more professional tone. [1]
Paas migration steps
II. INPUT & SELECTED ALGORITHM
The input data comprises a linked list containing all the countries in the world and their respective
populations. For this specific task, employing the merge sort algorithm is the most suitable choice for the
following reasons:
Firstly, merge sort is a stable sorting algorithm, meaning it preserves the order of equal elements which
is essential for maintaining the integrity of rankings or sequences, particularly in the context of country
populations. [2] [3]
Merge sort has a time complexity of O(n log n), which is significantly better than the time complexity of
O(n^2) associated with quicksort.[3]
In contrast, quicksort is generally more efficient for sorting arrays because it relies on random access to
elements, which is less effective with linked lists.[3]
Both merge sort and quicksort utilize the divide-and-conquer strategy. However, merge sort excels in
dividing the list into smaller sublists and re-merging them stably. Quicksort, on the other hand, divides
the list into smaller sublists and recursively sorts them, which can lead to suboptimal performance when
dealing with unbalanced sublists. [5] [6]
The fallback of using the Merge Sort is that it requires extra memory space for the merge step, which can
be a disadvantage in some cases. [4]

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III. PROCESS
➢ Step 1: Define the class
➢ Step 2: Divide the Data
The first step in the merge sorting algorithm is to divide the input data into smaller sublists. This
is done recursively until each sublist contains only one element. In this case, the input data is a
list representing countries and their populations. The data is divided into sublists based on the
country names.
➢ Step 3: Sort the Sublists
Each sublist is then sorted individually using the merge sorting algorithm. This is done
recursively until each sublist contains only one element, which is already sorted.
➢ Step3: Merge the Sublists
The sorted sublists are then merged together to form the final sorted list. This is done by
comparing elements from each sublist and placing the smaller element in the correct position in
the final list.
➢ Step 4: Output the Sorted List
The final sorted list is then printed.

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IV. OUTPUT

BEFORE MERGE SORTING AFTER MERGE SORTING

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REFERENCES

1. Cormen, T. H., Leiserson, C. E., Rivest, R. L., & Stein, C. (2022). Introduction to Algorithms (4th ed.). MIT Press. [This is a classic textbook on
algorithms, including in-depth coverage of sorting algorithms.]
2. Knuth, D. E. (1998). The Art of Computer Programming, Volume 3: Sorting and Searching (2nd ed.). Addison-Wesley Professional. [Another
seminal work on sorting algorithms and their analysis.]
3. Sedgewick, R., & Wayne, K. (2011). Algorithms (4th ed.). Addison-Wesley Professional. [A widely used textbook that covers sorting algorithms
in detail.]
4. Skiena, S. S. (2008). The Algorithm Design Manual (2nd ed.). Springer. [A comprehensive guide to algorithm design, including sorting algorithms.]
5. Goodrich, M. T., & Tamassia, R. (2014). Algorithm Design and Applications. Wiley. [A textbook that discusses sorting algorithms in the context
of algorithm design.]
6. Levitin, A. (2011). Introduction to the Design and Analysis of Algorithms (3rd ed.). Pearson. [A textbook that covers the analysis and
implementation of sorting algorithms.]