Question

We have the ellipse (x^2/8)+(y^2/18)=1. How do I find the point of the ellipse that, when we draw a tangent line, the area of the triangle formed by the tangent and the x,y axes is minimum?

Answer 1

i have assumed you will use calculus.

if so, this really short vid shows a method

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEip96BZ2a4

there's a really neat trick (not explained in vid) in terms of getting the equation of the tangent

the idea explained here may help get that sorted for you