Editing Sorting network (section)

===Depth and efficiency===
The efficiency of a sorting network can be measured by its total size, meaning the number of comparators in the network, or by its ''depth'', defined (informally) as the largest number of comparators that any input value can encounter on its way through the network. Noting that sorting networks can perform certain comparisons [[Parallel computing|in parallel]] (represented in the graphical notation by comparators that lie on the same vertical line), and assuming all comparisons to take unit time, it can be seen that the depth of the network is equal to the number of time steps required to execute it.<ref name="clrs"/>{{rp|636–637}}