Which of the following is an example of a divide-and-conquer algorithm?

Merge Sort is a classic example of a divide-and-conquer algorithm. This technique works by dividing an array into smaller subarrays, sorting those subarrays independently, and then merging them back together to produce the final sorted array.

The divide-and-conquer approach involves three main steps:

1. Divide: Split the problem into smaller subproblems. In the case of Merge Sort, the array is recursively divided into two halves until each subarray contains only one element.

2. Conquer: Solve the smaller subproblems. For Merge Sort, since a single element is inherently sorted, the solution is trivial at this step.

3. Combine: Merge the solutions of the subproblems into a single solution. After the subarrays are sorted, they are merged in a manner that results in a fully sorted array.

This structured approach to problem-solving allows Merge Sort to achieve a time complexity of O(n log n), making it efficient for larger datasets, which is a significant advantage over other sorting algorithms like Bubble Sort.

In contrast, other provided choices do not follow the divide-and-conquer paradigm. Bubble Sort operates by repeatedly stepping through the list, comparing adjacent elements, which is a more straightforward iterative process rather than a