<p>You are given two strings <code>word1</code> and <code>word2</code>. Merge the strings by adding letters in alternating order, starting with <code>word1</code>. If a string is longer than the other, append the additional letters onto the end of the merged string.</p>

<p>Return <em>the merged string.</em></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong class="example">Example 1:</strong></p>

<pre>
<strong>Input:</strong> word1 = &quot;abc&quot;, word2 = &quot;pqr&quot;
<strong>Output:</strong> &quot;apbqcr&quot;
<strong>Explanation:</strong>&nbsp;The merged string will be merged as so:
word1:  a   b   c
word2:    p   q   r
merged: a p b q c r
</pre>

<p><strong class="example">Example 2:</strong></p>

<pre>
<strong>Input:</strong> word1 = &quot;ab&quot;, word2 = &quot;pqrs&quot;
<strong>Output:</strong> &quot;apbqrs&quot;
<strong>Explanation:</strong>&nbsp;Notice that as word2 is longer, &quot;rs&quot; is appended to the end.
word1:  a   b 
word2:    p   q   r   s
merged: a p b q   r   s
</pre>

<p><strong class="example">Example 3:</strong></p>

<pre>
<strong>Input:</strong> word1 = &quot;abcd&quot;, word2 = &quot;pq&quot;
<strong>Output:</strong> &quot;apbqcd&quot;
<strong>Explanation:</strong>&nbsp;Notice that as word1 is longer, &quot;cd&quot; is appended to the end.
word1:  a   b   c   d
word2:    p   q 
merged: a p b q c   d
</pre>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Constraints:</strong></p>

<ul>
	<li><code>1 &lt;= word1.length, word2.length &lt;= 100</code></li>
	<li><code>word1</code> and <code>word2</code> consist of lowercase English letters.</li>
</ul>
class Solution:
    def mergeAlternately(self, word1: str, word2: str) -> str:
        i = 0
        result = ""
        while i < len(word1) and i < len(word2):
            result += word1[i]
            result += word2[i]
            i += 1
        
        if len(word1) == len(word2):
            return result
        
        if len(word1) > len(word2):
            word = word1
        else:
            word = word2

        while i < len(word):
            result += word[i]
            i += 1
        
        return result
        





        
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