juniorDivide & Conquer
What is the time complexity of Merge Sort?
Updated Apr 28, 2026
Short answer
O(n log n) in all cases.
Deep explanation
Divide and Conquer is essential for efficient algorithms. O(n log n) in all cases. It transforms a large, complex problem into manageable chunks, reducing the overall computational effort compared to brute-force approaches.
Real-world example
Searching for a word in a physical dictionary.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting the base case, leading to infinite recursion/StackOverflow.
Follow-up questions
- Is Binary Search better than Linear Search?