Sorting with Tapes : Balanced Merge

def balanced_merge_sort(data, num_tapes):

    tapes = [[] for _ in range(num_tapes)]

    for i, x in enumerate(data):

        tapes[i % num_tapes].append(x)

    for tape in tapes:

        tape.sort()

    while len(tapes) > 1:

        new_tapes = []

        for i in range(0, len(tapes), 2):

            tape1 = tapes[i]

            tape2 = tapes[i + 1] if i + 1 < len(tapes) else None

            new_tapes.append(merge(tape1, tape2))

        tapes = new_tapes

    return tapes[0]

def merge(tape1, tape2):

    if tape2 is None:

        return tape1

    output_tape = []

    i = j = 0

    while i < len(tape1) and j < len(tape2):

        if tape1[i] < tape2[j]:

            output_tape.append(tape1[i])

            i += 1

        else:

            output_tape.append(tape2[j])

            j += 1

    output_tape.extend(tape1[i:])

    output_tape.extend(tape2[j:])

    return output_tape

data = [5, 2, 4, 6, 1, 3]

sorted_data = balanced_merge_sort(data, 3)

print(sorted_data)

def balanced_merge_sort(data, num_tapes):

    tapes = [[] for _ in range(num_tapes)]

    for i, x in enumerate(data):

        tapes[i % num_tapes].append(x)

    for tape in tapes:

        tape.sort()

    while len(tapes) > 1:

        new_tapes = []

        for i in range(0, len(tapes), 2):

            tape1 = tapes[i]

            tape2 = tapes[i + 1] if i + 1 < len(tapes) else None

            new_tapes.append(merge(tape1, tape2))

        tapes = new_tapes

    return tapes[0]

def merge(tape1, tape2):

    if tape2 is None:

        return tape1

    output_tape = []

    i = j = 0

    while i < len(tape1) and j < len(tape2):

        if tape1[i] < tape2[j]:

            output_tape.append(tape1[i])

            i += 1

        else:

            output_tape.append(tape2[j])

            j += 1

    output_tape.extend(tape1[i:])

    output_tape.extend(tape2[j:])

    return output_tape

data = [5, 2, 4, 6, 1, 3]

sorted_data = balanced_merge_sort(data, 3)

print(sorted_data)