(Section 2.6: The Squeeze (Sandwich) Theorem) 2.6.

SECTION 2.6: THE SQUEEZE (SANDWICH) THEOREM

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Understand and be able to rigorously apply the Squeeze (Sandwich) Theorem
when evaluating limits at a point and “long-run” limits at ( ± ) infinity.

PART A: APPLYING THE SQUEEZE (SANDWICH) THEOREM TO

LIMITS AT A POINT
We will formally state the Squeeze (Sandwich) Theorem in Part B.
Example 1 below is one of many basic examples where we use the Squeeze
()
(Sandwich) Theorem to show that lim f x = 0 , where f ( x ) is the product of a
x
0
sine or cosine expression and a monomial of even degree.
• The idea is that “something approaching 0” times “something bounded”
(that is, trapped between two real numbers) will approach 0. Informally,

( Limit Form 0
bounded )  0 .

Example 1 (Applying the Squeeze (Sandwich) Theorem to a Limit at a Point)

1
 x x
0
()
Let f ( x ) = x 2 cos   . Prove that lim f x = 0 .

§ Solution

1  1
• We first bound cos   ,
 x
1  cos 
 1
 x
(
x  0) 

which is real for all x
0 .

 1
• Multiply all three parts by x 2
so that the middle part becomes  x 2  x 2 cos 
 x 2
 x
(
x  0) 
f ( x) .

WARNING 1: We must observe

that x 2 > 0 for all x
0 ,
or at least on a punctured
neighborhood of x = 0 , so that
we can multiply by x 2 without
reversing inequality symbols.
 (Section 2.6: The Squeeze (Sandwich) Theorem) 2.6.2

• As x
0 , the left and right

parts approach 0. Therefore, x0
( )
lim
x 2 = 0 , and lim x 2 = 0 , so
x
0
by the Squeeze (Sandwich)  1
lim x 2 cos   = 0 by the Squeeze
Theorem, the middle part, x
0  x
f ( x ) , is forced to approach 0, Theorem.
also. The middle part is
“squeezed” or “sandwiched” Shorthand: As x
0 ,
between the left and right parts,  1
so it must approach the same  x2 
 x 2 cos 
 
 x
x2 (
x  0) .
limit as the other two do. 0
 0
Therefore,  0
by the Squeeze
(Sandwich) Theorem

1
The graph of y = x 2 cos   , together with the squeezing graphs of y =
x 2
 x
and y = x 2 , is below.

(The axes are scaled differently.)

§
 (Section 2.6: The Squeeze (Sandwich) Theorem) 2.6.3

In Example 2 below, f ( x ) is the product of a sine or cosine expression and a

monomial of odd degree.

Example 2 (Handling Complications with Signs)

1 
()
Let f x = x 3 sin 
 3 x 
. Use the Squeeze Theorem to find lim f x .
x
0
()
§ Solution 1 (Using Absolute Value)

1   1
• We first bound sin 
 3 x 
, 1  sin 
 3 x

1 (
x  0) 

which is real for all x
0 .

 1 
(
x  0)
• WARNING 2: The problem
sin  1 
 3 x

with multiplying all three parts

by x 3 is that x 3 < 0 when
x < 0 . The
inequality
symbols would have to be
reversed for x < 0 .
Instead, we use absolute value
here. We could write
 1 
0  sin 
 3 x 
(
 1
x  0 , )
but we assume that absolute
values are nonnegative.

• Multiply both sides of the  1 

inequality by x 3 . We know x 3 sin 
 3 x

 x3 (
x  0) 

x3 > 0 (
x  0) .
• “The product of absolute  1 
values equals the absolute x 3 sin 
 3 x

 x3 (
x  0) 
value of the product.”

• If, say, a
4 , then  1

4  a  4 . Similarly:
 x 3  x 3 sin 
 x
3
 x3 (
x  0) 
 (Section 2.6: The Squeeze (Sandwich) Theorem) 2.6.4

• Now, apply the Squeeze

(Sandwich) Theorem.
(
lim
x 3
x0
) = 0 , and lim
x
0
x 3 = 0 , so
 1 
lim x 3 sin  = 0 by the Squeeze
x
0  3 x 
Theorem.
Shorthand: As x
0 ,
 1
 x 3  x 3 sin 



 3 x
 x 3
x  0 . §

( )
0
  0
Therefore,  0
by the Squeeze
(Sandwich) Theorem

§ Solution 2 (Split Into Cases: Analyze Right-Hand and Left-Hand Limits

Separately)
 1 
First, we analyze: lim+ x 3 sin  .
x
0  3 x 
Assume x > 0 , since we are taking a limit as x
0+ .

1   1 
• We first bound sin 
 3 x 
, 1  sin 
 3 x

1 (
x > 0) 

which is real for all x
0 .

 1 
(
x > 0)
• Multiply all three parts by
 x 3  x 3 sin   x3 
x 3 so that the middle part  x

becomes f ( x ) . We know
x 3 > 0 for all x > 0 .

• Now, apply the Squeeze

(Sandwich) Theorem. x0
( )
lim+
x 3 = 0 , and lim+ x 3 = 0 , so
x
0
 1 
lim+ x 3 sin  = 0 by the Squeeze
x
0  3 x 
Theorem.
Shorthand: As x
0+ ,
 1 

 x 3
 x 3
sin  3
 
x3 (
x > 0) .
0
  x 0
Therefore,  0
by the Squeeze
(Sandwich) Theorem
 (Section 2.6: The Squeeze (Sandwich) Theorem) 2.6.5

 1 
Second, we analyze: lim
x 3 sin  .
x0  3 x 
Assume x < 0 , since we are taking a limit as x  0
.

1   1 
• We first bound sin 
 3 x 
, 1  sin 
 3 x

1 (
x < 0) 

which is real for all x
0 .

 1 
(
x < 0)
• Multiply all three parts by
 x 3  x 3 sin   x3 
x 3 so that the middle part  x

becomes f ( x ) . We know
x 3 < 0 for all x < 0 , so we
reverse the
inequality
symbols.

 1 
• Reversing the compound
inequality will make it x 3  x 3 sin 
 3 x

  x3 (
x < 0) 
easier to read.

• Now, apply the Squeeze

x0 x0
( )
lim
x 3 = 0 , and lim

x 3 = 0 , so
(Sandwich) Theorem.
 1 
lim
x 3 sin  = 0 by the Squeeze
x0  3 x 
Theorem.

Shorthand: As x  0
,
 1 
x

3
 x 3
sin 
 3 x

 
 x 3
(
x < 0) .
0
   0
Therefore,  0
by the Squeeze
(Sandwich) Theorem

 1   1 
Now, lim+ x 3 sin  = 0 , and lim x 3
sin  3  = 0 , so
x
0  3 x  x  0
x
 1 
lim x 3 sin  = 0. §
x
0  3 x 
 (Section 2.6: The Squeeze (Sandwich) Theorem) 2.6.6

Example 3 (Limits are Local)

Use lim x 2 = 0 and lim x 6 = 0 to show that lim x 4 = 0 .

x
0 x
0 x
0

§ Solution
Let I = (
1, 1) \ {0} . I is a punctured neighborhood of 0.
Shorthand: As x
0 ,

x6 

x4



x2 (
x  I )
0 Therefore,  0 0
by the Squeeze
(Sandwich) Theorem

WARNING 3: The direction of the
inequality symbols may

4 2

1 1
1 1 1 1
confuse students. Observe that   = ,   = , and < .
 2 16  2  4 16 4

We conclude: lim x 4 = 0 .
x
0

We do not need the compound inequality to hold true for all nonzero values
of x. We only need it to hold true on some punctured neighborhood of 0 so
that we may apply the Squeeze (Sandwich) Theorem to the two-sided limit
lim x 4 . This is because “Limits are Local.”
x
0

As seen below, the graphs of y = x 6 and y = x 2 squeeze (from below and

above, respectively) the graph of y = x 4 on I. In Chapter 6, we will be able
to find the areas of the bounded regions.

§
 (Section 2.6: The Squeeze (Sandwich) Theorem) 2.6.7

PART B: THE SQUEEZE (SANDWICH) THEOREM

We will call B the “bottom” function and T the “top” function.
The Squeeze (Sandwich) Theorem
() () ()
Let B and T be functions such that B x
f x
T x on a punctured
neighborhood of a.
() () ( )
If lim B x = L and lim T x = L L 
, then lim f x = L .
x
a x
a x
a
()
Variation for Right-Hand Limits at a Point
() () ()
Let B x
f x
T x on some right-neighborhood of a.
If lim+ B ( x ) = L and lim+ T ( x ) = L ( L 
) , then lim+ f ( x ) = L .
x
a x
a x
a

Variation for Left-Hand Limits at a Point

() () ()
Let B x
f x
T x on some left-neighborhood of a.
If lim
B ( x ) = L and lim
T ( x ) = L ( L 
) , then lim
f ( x ) = L .
\

xa xa xa

PART C: VARIATIONS FOR “LONG-RUN” LIMITS

In the upcoming Example 4, f ( x ) is the quotient of a sine or cosine expression

and a polynomial.
• The idea is that “something bounded” divided by “something approaching
( ± ) infinity” will approach 0. Informally,
 bounded 
 Limit Form  0.
±

 (Section 2.6: The Squeeze (Sandwich) Theorem) 2.6.8

Example 4 (Applying the Squeeze (Sandwich) Theorem to a “Long-Run” Limit;

Revisiting Section 2.3, Example 6)

() ()
Evaluate: a) lim f x and b) lim f x , where f x =
x
x 

() sin x
x
.

§ Solution to a)
Assume x > 0 , since we are taking a limit as x 
.

• We first bound sin x . 1  sin x  1 (
x > 0) 

• Divide all three parts by x
( x > 0 ) so that the middle

1 sin x 1
x

x

x
(
x > 0) 

part becomes f ( x ) .

• Now, apply the Squeeze  1 1

(Sandwich) Theorem. lim 
 = 0 , and lim = 0 , so
x  x x
x

sin x
lim = 0 by the Squeeze Theorem.
x
x
Shorthand: As x 
,
1
 
x
sin x
x

1
x
(
x > 0) . §




0 Therefore,  0 0
by the Squeeze
(Sandwich) Theorem

§ Solution to b)
Assume x < 0 , since we are taking a limit as x 
 .

• We first bound sin x . 1  sin x  1 (
x < 0) 

• Divide all three parts by x
so that the middle part

1 sin x 1
x

x

x
(
x < 0) 
becomes f ( x ) . But x < 0 ,
so we must reverse the

inequality symbols.

• Reversing the compound

inequality will make it
1 sin x
x

x

1
x
(
x < 0) 
easier to read.
 (Section 2.6: The Squeeze (Sandwich) Theorem) 2.6.9.

• Now, apply the Squeeze 1  1

lim = 0 , and lim 
= 0 , so
(Sandwich) Theorem. x 
 x x 
  x 
sin x
lim = 0 by the Squeeze Theorem.
x 
 x
Shorthand: As x 
 ,
1
x

sin x
x
 
1
x
(
x < 0)




0 Therefore,  0 0
by the Squeeze
(Sandwich) Theorem

sin x 1
The graph of y = , together with the squeezing graphs of y =
and
x x
1
y= , is below. We can now justify the HA at y = 0 (the x-axis).
x

(The axes are scaled differently.) §

Variation for “Long-Run” Limits to the Right
() () ()
Let B x
f x
T x on some x-interval of the form c,
, c

.) (
If lim B ( x ) = L and lim T ( x ) = L ( L 
) , then lim f ( x ) = L .
x
x
x

• In Example 4a, we used c = 0 . We need the compound inequality to hold
“forever” after some point c.
Variation for “Long-Run” Limits to the Left
() () () ( )
Let B x
f x
T x on some x-interval of the form
, c , c

.
If lim B ( x ) = L and lim T ( x ) = L ( L 
) , then lim f ( x ) = L .
x 
 x 
 x