For each , monotonicity gives the dyadic-block bounds
Summing the upper bounds proves convergence of whenever converges. Summing the lower bounds gives, up to the first term,
so convergence of forces convergence of the condensed series. This is the Cauchy condensation test:
If , the terms do not tend to zero, so the series diverges by the term test for divergence. If , the terms form a nonnegative decreasing sequence, and the Cauchy condensation test gives the condensed series
This geometric series converges exactly when . Hence the p-series criterion is