Computing Atlas

How Computing Was Built
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Merge Sort

Algorithm

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A divide-and-conquer sorting algorithm invented by John von Neumann in 1945, one of the earliest algorithms described specifically for an electronic computer, with a fuller analysis appearing in a 1948 report by Goldstine and von Neumann.

Facts
Origin Year
1945 1
Core Principle
Split the input in half, recursively sort each half, then merge the two sorted halves back together in linear time, giving guaranteed O(n log n) performance regardless of the input's starting order. 1
Cross-Tradition Connections

Associated With

Quicksort, Concepts

In Field

Invented By

Sources
1. Wikipedia: Merge sort
Wikimedia FoundationHistory section
Quote, History section
invented by John von Neumann in 1945
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