Which sorting algorithm partitions an array around a pivot and groups elements less than and greater than the pivot?

• A. Quicksort
• B. Merge Sort
• C. Insertion Sort
• D. Bubble Sort

Answer: (A)

Quicksort relies on a partitioning step that selects a pivot and rearranges the array so that all elements smaller than the pivot are on one side and all elements larger on the other, with the pivot placed in its final position. This partitioning creates two subarrays that are then sorted recursively in the same way. Merge sort, insertion sort, and bubble sort use different approaches: merge sort splits the array in half and merges, insertion sort builds order by inserting each new item into a sorted prefix, and bubble sort repeatedly swaps adjacent elements. So the operation that partitions around a pivot and groups elements around it is what quicksort does.