comparisons - - - - - - - aworst-case scenario comparisons - - - - bbest-case scenario figure table maximum and minimum comparisons comparisons involved in sorting items step number totals number of items being merged (nmaximum comparisons ( - minimum comparisons ( / for each mergethe maximum number of comparisons is one less than the number of items adding these figures for all the merges gives us total of the minimum number of comparisons is always half the number of items being mergedand adding these figures for all the merges results in comparisons similar arithmetic results in the comparisons columns for table the actual