YES(?,O(n^1)) We are left with following problem, upon which TcT provides the certificate YES(?,O(n^1)). Strict Trs: { f(X) -> n__f(X) , f(n__f(n__a())) -> f(n__g(n__f(n__a()))) , a() -> n__a() , g(X) -> n__g(X) , activate(X) -> X , activate(n__f(X)) -> f(X) , activate(n__a()) -> a() , activate(n__g(X)) -> g(activate(X)) } Obligation: innermost runtime complexity Answer: YES(?,O(n^1)) The problem is match-bounded by 2. The enriched problem is compatible with the following automaton. { f_0(2) -> 1 , f_0(3) -> 1 , f_0(4) -> 1 , f_1(2) -> 7 , f_1(2) -> 11 , f_1(3) -> 7 , f_1(3) -> 11 , f_1(4) -> 7 , f_1(4) -> 11 , f_1(8) -> 1 , f_1(8) -> 7 , f_1(8) -> 11 , n__f_0(2) -> 2 , n__f_0(2) -> 7 , n__f_0(2) -> 11 , n__f_0(3) -> 2 , n__f_0(3) -> 7 , n__f_0(3) -> 11 , n__f_0(4) -> 2 , n__f_0(4) -> 7 , n__f_0(4) -> 11 , n__f_1(2) -> 1 , n__f_1(3) -> 1 , n__f_1(4) -> 1 , n__f_1(10) -> 9 , n__f_2(2) -> 7 , n__f_2(2) -> 11 , n__f_2(3) -> 7 , n__f_2(3) -> 11 , n__f_2(4) -> 7 , n__f_2(4) -> 11 , n__f_2(8) -> 1 , n__f_2(8) -> 7 , n__f_2(8) -> 11 , n__a_0() -> 3 , n__a_0() -> 7 , n__a_0() -> 11 , n__a_1() -> 5 , n__a_1() -> 10 , n__a_2() -> 7 , n__a_2() -> 11 , n__g_0(2) -> 4 , n__g_0(2) -> 7 , n__g_0(2) -> 11 , n__g_0(3) -> 4 , n__g_0(3) -> 7 , n__g_0(3) -> 11 , n__g_0(4) -> 4 , n__g_0(4) -> 7 , n__g_0(4) -> 11 , n__g_1(2) -> 6 , n__g_1(3) -> 6 , n__g_1(4) -> 6 , n__g_1(9) -> 8 , n__g_2(11) -> 7 , n__g_2(11) -> 11 , a_0() -> 5 , a_1() -> 7 , a_1() -> 11 , g_0(2) -> 6 , g_0(3) -> 6 , g_0(4) -> 6 , g_1(11) -> 7 , g_1(11) -> 11 , activate_0(2) -> 7 , activate_0(3) -> 7 , activate_0(4) -> 7 , activate_1(2) -> 11 , activate_1(3) -> 11 , activate_1(4) -> 11 , 2 -> 7 , 2 -> 11 , 3 -> 7 , 3 -> 11 , 4 -> 7 , 4 -> 11 } Hurray, we answered YES(?,O(n^1))