An efficient multiway merging algorithm

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)])tk, wheretk is the time to sortk keys.

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