Consider the TRS R consisting of the rewrite rules 1: sum(0) -> 0 2: sum(s(x)) -> sqr(s(x)) + sum(x) 3: sqr(x) -> x * x 4: sum(s(x)) -> (s(x) * s(x)) + sum(x) There are 2 dependency pairs: 5: SUM(s(x)) -> SQR(s(x)) 6: SUM(s(x)) -> SUM(x) The approximated dependency graph contains one SCC: {6}. - Consider the SCC {6}. There are no usable rules. By taking the polynomial interpretation [s](x) = [SUM](x) = x + 1, rule 6 is strictly decreasing. Hence the TRS is terminating.