On the distribution of comparisons in sorting algorithms

We considered the following natural conjecture: For every sorting algorithm every key will be involved in(logn) comparisons for some input. We show that this is true for most of the keys and prove matching upper and lower bounds. Every sorting algorithm for some input will involven–n /2+1 keys in at leastlog₂ n comparisons,>0. Further, there exists a sorting algorithm that will for every input involve at mostn–n ^/c keys in greater thanlog₂ n comparisons, wherec is a constant and>0. The conjecture is shown to hold for natural algorithms from the literature.