Question

assume the three lists are of size n, m, q, respectively, each being very large. furthermore, assume that each of the three lists are already sorted. what is the complexity of the best possible 3-way merge algorithm?

Answer 1

The complexity of the best possible 3-way merge algorithm for three sorted lists depends on their sizes and balance.

Step-by-step explanation:

The complexity of the best possible 3-way merge algorithm for three sorted lists of size n, m, and q, respectively, can be analyzed based on the number of comparisons and assignments performed.

In the best case scenario, where the three lists are perfectly balanced, the complexity of the 3-way merge algorithm is O(n + m + q).

However, in the worst case scenario, where the three lists have different sizes and are not perfectly balanced, the complexity can be O(n * log(m) + n * log(q)) or O(n + m * log(n) + q * log(n)), depending on the specific implementation and the characteristics of the input lists.