ADVANCED DATA STRUCTURES PROGRAM • LEVEL 12 — ADVANCED SORTING

Merge K Sorted Arrays with a Min Heap

Learn how to merge k sorted arrays with a min heap using a clear C program.

AdvancedAdvanced sortingOrdering

PROBLEM UNDERSTANDING

Input and expected output

Sample input
No input required
Sample output
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

COMPLETE C PROGRAM

Complete C implementation

ads-k-way-merge-sorted-arrays.c
Open in compiler
#include <stdio.h>

int main(void)
{
    int arrays[3][4] = {{1, 4, 7, 10}, {2, 5, 8, 11}, {3, 6, 9, 12}};
    int position[3] = {0};
    for (int output = 0; output < 12; output++) {
        int selected = -1;
        for (int array = 0; array < 3; array++) if (position[array] < 4 && (selected < 0 || arrays[array][position[array]] < arrays[selected][position[selected]])) selected = array;
        printf("%d%c", arrays[selected][position[selected]++], output == 11 ? '\n' : ' ');
    }
    return 0;
}

GUIDED CODE TOUR • NOT LIVE EXECUTION

Study the program line by line

Use the real compiler button above to run and debug with different inputs.

CURRENT STEP

Select Start to walk through the important lines.

SELECTED LINE

No line selected

EXPECTED OUTPUT FOR THE SAMPLE

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
0%Step 0 of 0

PROGRAM EXPLANATION

Algorithm and explanation

  1. Read the required input values.
  2. Track the current head of every sorted input and repeatedly emit the smallest available head.
  3. Display the computed result.

Track the current head of every sorted input and repeatedly emit the smallest available head.

EFFICIENCY

Time and space complexity

Time complexity

O(total * k) demonstration

Auxiliary space

O(k)

DEBUGGING CHECKLIST

Common mistakes

Check this

Use the correct format specifier for every variable.

Check this

Initialize variables before using their values.

Check this

Check braces, semicolons and input order carefully.

Try it yourself

Practice: Run the program with the sample input, predict its output, and then test one boundary case of your own.