The Squeeze Theorem
The sandwich (aka squeeze) theorem is very useful for computing limits like $\displaystyle \lim_{x \to 0} \frac{\sin(x)}{x}$. It says that if $g(x)$ is sandwiched between $f(x)$ and $h(x)$, and $f(x)$ and $h(x)$ have the same limit $L$ as $x \to a$, then $g(x)$ also approaches $L$ as $x\to a$:
Theorem: Suppose that $f(x) \le g(x) \le h(x)$ for all $x$ that are
close to (but not equal to) $a$, and that $\displaystyle\lim_{x \to a} f(x) = \lim_{x \to a}
h(x) = L$. Then $\displaystyle\lim_{x \to a} g(x) = L$.
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When $x$ is close to $a$, $f(x)$ and $h(x)$ are
close to $L$. So $g(x)$ is somewhere between (a number close to $L$)
and (another number close to $L$). This means that $g(x)$ must be
close to $L$!
Example: Evaluate $\displaystyle{\lim_{x \to 0}
x^2 \sin\left(1/x\right)}$.
Solution: Since $-1 \le \sin(1/x)\le 1$, we have
$$-x^2 \le x^2 \sin(1/x)
\le x^2.$$
so $g(x)=x^2 \sin(1/x)$ is squeezed (or sandwiched)
between $f(x)=-x^2$ and
$h(x)=x^2$. Since
both $-x^2$ and $x^2$ approach 0 as $x \to 0$, we must also have
$$\lim_{x \to 0} x^2 \sin(1/x) = 0.$$
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