Answer :

To solve the equation [tex]\( \sqrt{5x + 21} = x + 5 \)[/tex], let's follow these steps:

1. Isolate the Square Root:
The square root is already isolated on the left side:
[tex]\[ \sqrt{5x + 21} = x + 5 \][/tex]

2. Square Both Sides:
To remove the square root, square both sides of the equation:
[tex]\[ \left(\sqrt{5x + 21}\right)^2 = (x + 5)^2 \][/tex]
This simplifies to:
[tex]\[ 5x + 21 = x^2 + 10x + 25 \][/tex]

3. Rearrange to Form a Quadratic Equation:
Move all terms to one side to set the equation to zero:
[tex]\[ 5x + 21 - 5x = x^2 + 10x + 25 - 5x - 21 \][/tex]
Simplifying this, we get:
[tex]\[ 0 = x^2 + 5x + 4 \][/tex]

4. Solve the Quadratic Equation:
Factor the quadratic equation:
[tex]\[ 0 = x^2 + 5x + 4 \implies (x + 4)(x + 1) = 0 \][/tex]
Set each factor to zero:
[tex]\[ x + 4 = 0 \quad \Rightarrow \quad x = -4 \][/tex]
[tex]\[ x + 1 = 0 \quad \Rightarrow \quad x = -1 \][/tex]

5. Verify Each Potential Solution:
It's important to verify that each solution satisfies the original equation, as squaring both sides can introduce extraneous solutions.

- For [tex]\( x = -4 \)[/tex]:
[tex]\[ \sqrt{5(-4) + 21} = -4 + 5 \][/tex]
Simplifies to:
[tex]\[ \sqrt{-20 + 21} = 1 \quad \Rightarrow \quad \sqrt{1} = 1 \][/tex]
Which is true.

- For [tex]\( x = -1 \)[/tex]:
[tex]\[ \sqrt{5(-1) + 21} = -1 + 5 \][/tex]
Simplifies to:
[tex]\[ \sqrt{-5 + 21} = 4 \quad \Rightarrow \quad \sqrt{16} = 4 \][/tex]
Which is true.

Thus, the solutions to the equation [tex]\( \sqrt{5x + 21} = x + 5 \)[/tex] are:
[tex]\[ \boxed{-4 \text{ and } -1} \][/tex]

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