What characterizes a divide-and-conquer sorting algorithm?

A divide-and-conquer sorting algorithm is characterized by its method of tackling the sorting problem by first breaking down the problem into smaller, more manageable sub-problems. This is achieved by dividing the list into smaller segments, often into two halves, and then recursively sorting those segments. Once the smaller segments are sorted, they can be combined or merged back into a single, sorted list.

By focusing on sorting smaller parts of the dataset first, divide-and-conquer algorithms can efficiently handle larger datasets, leveraging the efficiency of sorting smaller groups before combining the results. This recursive approach is key to the functionality of algorithms such as Quick Sort and Merge Sort, making choice C the defining characteristic of divide-and-conquer sorting methods.