Next you will write a script to merge the two sorted lists. The idea behind the merging algorithm is that we repeatedly compare the item at the front of the first list with the item at the front of the second list: whichever is the smaller is added to the merged list, then removed from its original list. At some point, one list will become empty and we can then simply append the contents of the other list to the merged list.

The steps of the algorithm are as follows, including the steps that are there to count the number of times two items are compared.

Empty the merged list

Initialise comparison$\_$count to $0$

Repeat until length of list school$\_1$ is $0$ or length of list school$\_2$ is $0$

Increase comparison$\_$count by $1$

If item $1$ of school$\_1$ is alphabetically before item $1$ of school$\_2$

Add item $1$ of school$\_1$ to merged

Remove this istem from school$\_1$

else

Add item of $1$ school$\_2$ to merged

Remove this item from school$\_2$

If length of school$\_1$ is $0$

Repeat until length of school$\_2$ is $0$

Add item $1$ of school$\_2$ to merged

Remove this item from school$\_2$

else

Repeat until length of school$\_1$ is $0$

Add item $1$ of school$\_1$ to merged

Remove this item from school$\_1$