Final answer:
Retrieving an item from an array-based list, including from the middle of the list, has a worst-case time complexity of O(1) because arrays allow direct access to elements using indices.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to array-based list operations and their time complexity. When retrieving an item at an arbitrary index from the middle of the list, in an array-based implementation, the worst-case time complexity is O(1), meaning it takes constant time. This is because arrays allow direct access to elements based on their indices, so no matter the index given, whether it is at the beginning, middle, or end of the list, the retrieval operation takes the same amount of time.