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Exercise 32Calculus › Single-variable calculus › Differentiation › Taylor expansionsL1Added 3 Nov 2026

lim (1/x² − 1/sin² x)

#limits#expansions#difference of fractions

Statement

Compute lim⁡x→0(1x2−1sin⁡2x)\displaystyle\lim_{x\to0}\left(\frac1{x^2}-\frac1{\sin^2x}\right).

Hint

Put over a common denominator, then expand sin⁡2x=x2(1−x26+⋯ )2\sin^2x=x^2\left(1-\frac{x^2}6+\cdots\right)^2 to the right order.

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Solution

Common denominator.
1x2−1sin⁡2x=sin⁡2x−x2x2sin⁡2x.\frac1{x^2}-\frac1{\sin^2x}=\frac{\sin^2x-x^2}{x^2\sin^2x}.

Numerator. sin⁡x=x−x36+o(x3)\sin x=x-\frac{x^3}6+o(x^3), so
sin⁡2x=x2−x43+o(x4)⟹sin⁡2x−x2=−x43+o(x4).\sin^2x=x^2-\frac{x^4}3+o(x^4)\quad\Longrightarrow\quad\sin^2x-x^2=-\frac{x^4}3+o(x^4).

Denominator. x2sin⁡2x=x4+o(x4)x^2\sin^2x=x^4+o(x^4).

Limit.
−x43+o(x4)x4+o(x4)⟶−13.\frac{-\frac{x^4}3+o(x^4)}{x^4+o(x^4)}\longrightarrow-\frac13.

Remark. The orders of expansion are dictated by the denominator: x4x^4 below means the numerator must be known up to o(x4)o(x^4), so we need sin⁡x\sin x up to x3x^3 only.