Here's the problem: square root x-8 (all under square root) + square root x-7 (all under square root) =5. I know you have to subtract square root x-7 from the one side and do it to the side with the 5 too. I know you square both to remove the square root. When you foil, you get a lot of stuff, but here's the important part: do you get -x-7, -x+7, or x-7? Because when I foiled, I got square root x-7 -5 square root x-7. Since there is a neg sign before the 5's, do you distribute it to the whole thing, or just leave it as x-7?!
I used an algebra solver to find out what happens when you foil it. It said just x-7. Is that right? For my final answer, I got x=13.76 or 13 19/25