Solve. $LaTeX: \displaystyle \sqrt{x + 20}=\sqrt{x - 4} + 3$

Squaring both sides gives $LaTeX: \displaystyle x + 20=x + 6 \sqrt{x - 4} + 5$ . Isolating the radical gives $LaTeX: \displaystyle \frac{5}{2}=\sqrt{x - 4}$ Squaring again gives $LaTeX: \displaystyle \frac{25}{4}=x - 4$ . Solving for $LaTeX: \displaystyle x$ gives $LaTeX: \displaystyle x=\frac{41}{4}$ . Checking the solution, $LaTeX: \displaystyle x = \frac{41}{4}$ , in the original equation gives $LaTeX: \displaystyle \frac{11}{2} = \frac{11}{2}$ which is true so the solution checks.