We are left with following problem, upon which TcT provides the certificate YES(?,O(n^1)). Strict Trs: { f(X) -> n__f(X) , f(f(X)) -> c(n__f(g(n__f(X)))) , c(X) -> d(activate(X)) , d(X) -> n__d(X) , activate(X) -> X , activate(n__f(X)) -> f(X) , activate(n__d(X)) -> d(X) , h(X) -> c(n__d(X)) } Obligation: runtime complexity Answer: YES(?,O(n^1)) The problem is match-bounded by 3. The enriched problem is compatible with the following automaton. { f_0(3) -> 1 , f_0(4) -> 1 , f_0(8) -> 1 , f_1(3) -> 6 , f_1(3) -> 9 , f_1(4) -> 6 , f_1(4) -> 9 , f_1(8) -> 6 , f_1(8) -> 9 , c_0(3) -> 2 , c_0(4) -> 2 , c_0(8) -> 2 , c_1(5) -> 7 , n__f_0(3) -> 3 , n__f_0(3) -> 6 , n__f_0(3) -> 9 , n__f_0(4) -> 3 , n__f_0(4) -> 6 , n__f_0(4) -> 9 , n__f_0(8) -> 3 , n__f_0(8) -> 6 , n__f_0(8) -> 9 , n__f_1(3) -> 1 , n__f_1(4) -> 1 , n__f_1(8) -> 1 , n__f_2(3) -> 6 , n__f_2(3) -> 9 , n__f_2(4) -> 6 , n__f_2(4) -> 9 , n__f_2(8) -> 6 , n__f_2(8) -> 9 , g_0(3) -> 4 , g_0(3) -> 6 , g_0(3) -> 9 , g_0(4) -> 4 , g_0(4) -> 6 , g_0(4) -> 9 , g_0(8) -> 4 , g_0(8) -> 6 , g_0(8) -> 9 , d_0(3) -> 5 , d_0(3) -> 10 , d_0(4) -> 5 , d_0(4) -> 10 , d_0(8) -> 5 , d_0(8) -> 10 , d_1(3) -> 6 , d_1(3) -> 9 , d_1(4) -> 6 , d_1(4) -> 9 , d_1(8) -> 6 , d_1(8) -> 9 , d_1(9) -> 2 , d_2(3) -> 10 , d_2(4) -> 10 , d_2(8) -> 10 , d_2(10) -> 7 , activate_0(3) -> 6 , activate_0(4) -> 6 , activate_0(8) -> 6 , activate_1(3) -> 9 , activate_1(4) -> 9 , activate_1(8) -> 9 , activate_2(5) -> 10 , h_0(3) -> 7 , h_0(4) -> 7 , h_0(8) -> 7 , n__d_0(3) -> 6 , n__d_0(3) -> 8 , n__d_0(3) -> 9 , n__d_0(4) -> 6 , n__d_0(4) -> 8 , n__d_0(4) -> 9 , n__d_0(8) -> 6 , n__d_0(8) -> 8 , n__d_0(8) -> 9 , n__d_1(3) -> 5 , n__d_1(3) -> 10 , n__d_1(4) -> 5 , n__d_1(4) -> 10 , n__d_1(8) -> 5 , n__d_1(8) -> 10 , n__d_2(3) -> 6 , n__d_2(3) -> 9 , n__d_2(4) -> 6 , n__d_2(4) -> 9 , n__d_2(8) -> 6 , n__d_2(8) -> 9 , n__d_2(9) -> 2 , n__d_3(3) -> 10 , n__d_3(4) -> 10 , n__d_3(8) -> 10 , n__d_3(10) -> 7 } Hurray, we answered YES(?,O(n^1))