For fixed , the partial sums are increasing and bounded above by . The monotone convergence theorem for sequences therefore proves convergence to a finite sum . Passing to the limit in the two bounds gives
The squeeze theorem now yields
Since , this is the real-axis singular limit of the Riemann zeta function at one. The limiting sum is taken at fixed before sending to zero; setting inside the convergent-series argument would instead give the divergent harmonic series.