while len(first_sublistand len(second_sublist)if first_sublist[isecond_sublist[ ]merged_list append(first_sublist[ ] + elsemerged_list append(second_sublist[ ] + while len(first_sublist)merged_list append(first_sublist[ ] + while len(second_sublist)merged_list append(second_sublist[ ] + return merged_list the merge function takes the two lists we want to merge togetherfirst_sublist and second_sublist the and variables are initialized to and are used as pointers to tell us where in the two lists we are with respect to the merging process the final merged_list will contain the merged listwhile len(first_sublistand len(second_sublist)if first_sublist[isecond_sublist[ ]merged_list append(first_sublist[ ] + elsemerged_list append(second_sublist[ ] + the while loop starts comparing the elements in first_sublist and second_sublist the if statement selects the smaller of the twofirst_sublist[ior second_sublist[ ]and appends it to merged_list the or index is incremented to reflect the point we are at with the merging step the while loop only when either sublist is empty there may be elements left behind in either first_sublist or second_sublist the last two while loops make sure that those elements are added to the merged_list before it is returned the last call to merge(half_ahalf_bwill return the sorted list