Zero-error expectation equals amortized query complexity

Abstract

This paper investigates the direct sum question for expected randomized and distributional query complexity. Our main result gives an exact characterization of the amortized expected randomized query complexity. For any total relation $f$ and any error tolerance $\varepsilon \in [0,1]$, we prove \[ \lim_{n \to \infty} \frac{\overline{R}_\varepsilon(f^n)}{n} = (1 - \varepsilon) \overline{R}_0(f). \] Thus the amortization converts bounded-error into zero error with the exact multiplicative factor $1-\varepsilon$. We also prove corresponding liminf/limsup bounds for worst-case randomized and distributional query complexity. These results improve prior direct-sum bounds that were known only up to constant factors or in restricted error regimes, and they resolve an open question posed by Blais and Brody (2019). Additionally for one-sided computation of the function $\operatorname{OR}_n \circ f$, we obtain analogous exact amortized identities for both expected and worst-case cost. As applications, we obtain separations between amortized and single-instance costs, including unbounded separations for distributional complexity and randomized relations, and a quadratic barrier for randomized total functions.