Finding the point on $f = \sqrt x$ closest to $(1,0)$ Find the point on $y = \sqrt x$ closest to $(1,0)$. I tried setting it $-x=x^{1/2}$ and then solve but I really am confused. please help.

In calculus, you have a strong method optimizing functions, i.e. finding minima and maxima (Do you know what method I'm talking about?). here, you have a curve $y = \sqrt x$. But this is not the function you are optimizing. You are looking for the closest point on the curve to $(1,0)$.
This means you want to minimize the function that gives the distance from a point on your curve to the point $(1,0)$.
So your goals should be something like this:


*

*Write down explicitly the function for the distance from a point on your curve to $(1,0)$

*Optimize it, likely involving a derivative

