Merge Sort: Divide-and-Conquer

This lecture covers the concept of Merge Sort, a divide-and-conquer algorithm used for sorting arrays efficiently. The instructor explains the process of dividing the array, recursively sorting subarrays, and merging them back together. The correctness of Merge Sort is discussed, along with the analysis of its runtime complexity. Additionally, the lecture delves into the idea of linear-time merging and compares Merge Sort with Insertion Sort. The importance of analyzing recurrences in algorithms is highlighted, with a focus on solving them using techniques like the substitution method, recursion trees, and the master method.