Thanks for comments. This is my first use of forum, so please forgive my criptic description or any etiquette faux pas. Both SS & mm have shown work I did to get d^2 = x^2 + y^2 for distance between origin and any (x,y). Rearranging curve equation produces relationship shown above. I would...
[b]1. Shortest distance between: 5x^2 - 6xy + 5y^2 = 4 and origin.
[b]2. d = sqrt(x^2 + y^2)
[b]3. d = sqrt[(4+6xy)/5]. Can't figure out how to get an explicit equation in x or y.
This is a first semester calculus problem out of Thomas from my 1971 class. This is indepent study.