Halstead’s Complexity Measure of a Merge sort and Modified Merge sort Algorithms

Abstract

Complexity measuring tools in computer science are deployed to measure and compare different characteristics of algorithms in order to find the best one in solving a particular problem or that suits a particular situation. In view of this, Halstead’s complexity metrics is deployed to compare the efficiency of two external sorting methods; the Merge sort and the Modified Merge sort algorithms. The methodology used in achieving this, lies in the extraction of operators and operands from the C_sharp (C#) implemented program of the two algorithms. Six Halstead metrics are evaluated using these operators and operands as parameters. The results shows that the Modified Merge sort algorithm is much more efficient than the conventional Merge sort as it has a lower Program Volume, lower Program difficulty and a lower Program Effort even though the advantage of a higher Intelligence content goes to the Merge sort algorithm.