We are left with following problem, upon which TcT provides the certificate YES(?,O(n^1)). Strict Trs: { f(X) -> n__f(X) , f(0()) -> cons(0(), n__f(n__s(n__0()))) , f(s(0())) -> f(p(s(0()))) , 0() -> n__0() , s(X) -> n__s(X) , p(s(X)) -> X , activate(X) -> X , activate(n__f(X)) -> f(activate(X)) , activate(n__s(X)) -> s(activate(X)) , activate(n__0()) -> 0() } Obligation: runtime complexity Answer: YES(?,O(n^1)) The problem is match-bounded by 4. The enriched problem is compatible with the following automaton. { f_0(3) -> 1 , f_0(4) -> 1 , f_0(5) -> 1 , f_0(6) -> 1 , f_1(10) -> 9 , f_1(10) -> 10 , f_2(15) -> 9 , f_2(15) -> 10 , 0_0() -> 2 , 0_1() -> 9 , 0_1() -> 10 , 0_2() -> 11 , 0_2() -> 15 , 0_3() -> 17 , cons_0(3, 3) -> 3 , cons_0(3, 3) -> 9 , cons_0(3, 3) -> 10 , cons_0(3, 4) -> 3 , cons_0(3, 4) -> 9 , cons_0(3, 4) -> 10 , cons_0(3, 5) -> 3 , cons_0(3, 5) -> 9 , cons_0(3, 5) -> 10 , cons_0(3, 6) -> 3 , cons_0(3, 6) -> 9 , cons_0(3, 6) -> 10 , cons_0(4, 3) -> 3 , cons_0(4, 3) -> 9 , cons_0(4, 3) -> 10 , cons_0(4, 4) -> 3 , cons_0(4, 4) -> 9 , cons_0(4, 4) -> 10 , cons_0(4, 5) -> 3 , cons_0(4, 5) -> 9 , cons_0(4, 5) -> 10 , cons_0(4, 6) -> 3 , cons_0(4, 6) -> 9 , cons_0(4, 6) -> 10 , cons_0(5, 3) -> 3 , cons_0(5, 3) -> 9 , cons_0(5, 3) -> 10 , cons_0(5, 4) -> 3 , cons_0(5, 4) -> 9 , cons_0(5, 4) -> 10 , cons_0(5, 5) -> 3 , cons_0(5, 5) -> 9 , cons_0(5, 5) -> 10 , cons_0(5, 6) -> 3 , cons_0(5, 6) -> 9 , cons_0(5, 6) -> 10 , cons_0(6, 3) -> 3 , cons_0(6, 3) -> 9 , cons_0(6, 3) -> 10 , cons_0(6, 4) -> 3 , cons_0(6, 4) -> 9 , cons_0(6, 4) -> 10 , cons_0(6, 5) -> 3 , cons_0(6, 5) -> 9 , cons_0(6, 5) -> 10 , cons_0(6, 6) -> 3 , cons_0(6, 6) -> 9 , cons_0(6, 6) -> 10 , cons_2(11, 12) -> 9 , cons_2(15, 12) -> 10 , cons_3(17, 18) -> 9 , cons_3(17, 18) -> 10 , n__f_0(3) -> 4 , n__f_0(3) -> 9 , n__f_0(3) -> 10 , n__f_0(4) -> 4 , n__f_0(4) -> 9 , n__f_0(4) -> 10 , n__f_0(5) -> 4 , n__f_0(5) -> 9 , n__f_0(5) -> 10 , n__f_0(6) -> 4 , n__f_0(6) -> 9 , n__f_0(6) -> 10 , n__f_1(3) -> 1 , n__f_1(4) -> 1 , n__f_1(5) -> 1 , n__f_1(6) -> 1 , n__f_2(10) -> 9 , n__f_2(10) -> 10 , n__f_2(13) -> 12 , n__f_3(15) -> 9 , n__f_3(15) -> 10 , n__f_3(16) -> 18 , n__s_0(3) -> 5 , n__s_0(3) -> 9 , n__s_0(3) -> 10 , n__s_0(4) -> 5 , n__s_0(4) -> 9 , n__s_0(4) -> 10 , n__s_0(5) -> 5 , n__s_0(5) -> 9 , n__s_0(5) -> 10 , n__s_0(6) -> 5 , n__s_0(6) -> 9 , n__s_0(6) -> 10 , n__s_1(3) -> 7 , n__s_1(4) -> 7 , n__s_1(5) -> 7 , n__s_1(6) -> 7 , n__s_2(10) -> 9 , n__s_2(10) -> 10 , n__s_2(14) -> 13 , n__s_3(11) -> 16 , n__0_0() -> 6 , n__0_0() -> 9 , n__0_0() -> 10 , n__0_1() -> 2 , n__0_2() -> 9 , n__0_2() -> 10 , n__0_2() -> 14 , n__0_3() -> 11 , n__0_3() -> 15 , n__0_4() -> 17 , s_0(3) -> 7 , s_0(4) -> 7 , s_0(5) -> 7 , s_0(6) -> 7 , s_1(10) -> 9 , s_1(10) -> 10 , s_2(11) -> 16 , p_0(3) -> 8 , p_0(4) -> 8 , p_0(5) -> 8 , p_0(6) -> 8 , p_2(16) -> 15 , activate_0(3) -> 9 , activate_0(4) -> 9 , activate_0(5) -> 9 , activate_0(6) -> 9 , activate_1(3) -> 10 , activate_1(4) -> 10 , activate_1(5) -> 10 , activate_1(6) -> 10 } Hurray, we answered YES(?,O(n^1))