A Precise Version of a Time Hierarchy Theorem

Abstract

Using a simple programming language as a computational model, Neil Jones has shown that a constant-factor time hierarchy exists: thus a constant-factor difference in time makes a difference in problem-solving power, unlike the situation with Turing machines. In this note we review this result and fill in the programming details in the proof, thus obtaining a precise version of the theorem with explicit constant factors. Specifically, multiplying the running time by 232 provably allows more decision problems to be solved.