Past exam of the computer science course of the University of Oxford / 2015 / Advanced data structures and algorithms / 1 / b

Yes: starting from zero, $n$ increments of the decimal counter cost $\Theta (n)$ digit changes, uniformly in the number $k$ of digits. An increment changes the trailing digits equal to $9$ into $0$ and increases the next digit. Number digits from $0$ at the least significant end. Digit $i$ changes once every $10^i$ increments, so the exact number of changes isHere the floor function counts carries reaching each position, and the last equality sums a geometric series. Since digit $0$ changes on every increment, $C_{10}(n,k)\ge n$ for $k\ge 1$. The loop tests and carry handling add only a constant amount per changed digit and per operation, giving the same time complexity.

An accounting method explanation is also possible. Charge two credits for each change of digit $0$: one pays for that change and one joins a common bank. For $n$ increments the higher digits change at most $n/9$ times, so their costs can be covered from that bank; the displayed prefix bound ensures that it never goes negative.

The formula allows wraparound modulo $10^k$; alternatively, restrict to increments before overflow. Initializing the array itself costs $\Theta (k)$ if that is counted separately. If the initial digits are arbitrary, the number of changes at position $i$ is at most $\lceil n/10^i\rceil$, giving $O(n+k)$ in Big O notation. Starting with all digits equal to $9$ makes the first increment cost $k$, so the initial-state convention matters.