Which of these is a traditional measure for the cost of a sorting algorithm?

The number of comparisons
  • The number of records
  • The memory size
  • The amount by which the values are out of order

This question does not ask what AFFECTS the cost. It asks what is a MEASURE of the cost.

The number of records affects the cost, but it does not measure the cost.

The memory size affects the cost, but it does not measure the cost.

Records being out of order can increase the cost, but not measure it.