Merge sort - GCSE Computer Science Definition

Merge sort is a popular divide-and-conquer sorting algorithm used in computer science to arrange a list of items, such as numbers or words, in a specific order, usually from smallest to largest. It works by dividing the list into smaller parts until each part has only one item, then gradually merging these parts back together in the correct order. Imagine you have a messy pile of cards and you want them sorted; merge sort splits the cards into tiny piles, sorts each little pile, and then combines them carefully to create a neat, ordered stack. This algorithm is efficient and works well even for long lists, making it an important topic for students studying GCSE Computer Science.