<s>[INST] Why doesn't using the approximation $\sin x\approx x$ near $0$ work for computing this limit? The limit is
$$\lim_{x\to0}\left(\frac{1}{\sin^2x}-\frac{1}{x^2}\right)$$
which I'm aware can be rearranged to obtain the indeterminate $\dfrac{0}{0}$, but in an attempt to avoid L'Hopital's rule (just for fun) I tried using the fact that $\sin x\approx x$ near $x=0$. However, the actual limit is $\dfrac{1}{3}$, not $0$.
In this similar limit, the approximation reasoning works out.
 [/INST] Since you already received good answers, let me add another point of view. 
Rewriting the expression
$$A=\frac1{\sin^2(x)}-\frac1{x^2}=\frac{x^2-\sin^2(x)}{x^2\sin^2(x)}$$ and knowing that, close to $0$, $\sin(x)\approx x$, then the denominator looks like $x^4$ that is to say that, if the limit exist the numerator should also be developed at least up to order $x^4$; again, since $\sin(x)\approx x$, then $\sin(x)$ should be developed for at least one more term.
So, using $\sin(x)=x-\frac{x^3}{6}+O\left(x^4\right)$, after simplication, the numerator is just $\frac{x^4}{3}+\cdots$ and the denominator is $x^4+\cdots$; so the limit $\frac 13$.
If we needed more than the limit (say for example how it is approached), more terms would be required. Using $\sin(x)=x-\frac{x^3}{6}+\cdots$ and using it for both numerator and denominator, we should get $$A\approx \frac{x^2-\left(x-\frac{x^3}{6}\right)^2}{x^2 \left(x-\frac{x^3}{6}\right)^2}$$ which, after simplication and long division would give $$A\approx \frac{1}{3}+\frac{x^2}{12}+\cdots$$
Using instead $\sin(x)=x-\frac{x^3}{6}+\frac{x^5}{120}+\cdots$ and using it for both numerator and denominator, and doing the same as before, we should get $$A\approx \frac{1}{3}+\frac{x^2}{15}+\cdots$$ which is slightly different.
To illustrate the above, I suggest you plot on the same graph the three functions $y_1=\frac1{\sin^2(x)}-\frac1{x^2}$ , $y_2=\frac{1}{3}+\frac{x^2} {12}$, $y_3=\frac{1}{3}+\frac{x^2}{15}$ for $-\frac 12 \leq x\leq \frac 12$ . This would be better than a long and tedious speech.
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