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An efficient multiway merging algorithm

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Abstract

Most traditional merging algorithms and merging-based sorting algorithms are based on 2-sorters. A newk-way merging algorithm is proposed. The aim of this algorithm is to mergek sorted lists, withm keys of each, into one, wherek can be any integer. The merging process uses onlyk sorters instead of 2 sorters. Thus,k-sorters is the primary operation of our algorithm. The time needed to mergek sorted lists is (21+([log(m/k)])t k, wheret k is the time to sortk keys.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100080, Beijing, China

    Lijun Zhao & Zhiyong Liu

  2. Department of Computer Science, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 100083, Beijing, China

    Qingshi Gao

Authors
  1. Lijun Zhao
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  2. Zhiyong Liu
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  3. Qingshi Gao
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Additional information

Project partly supported by the National “863” High-Tech Programs of China and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 69573033).

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Zhao, L., Liu, Z. & Gao, Q. An efficient multiway merging algorithm. Sci. China Ser. E-Technol. Sci. 41, 543–551 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02917030

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02917030

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