Please help with an algebra question: solving for x with exponents and within a fraction!

Question

221 – x²

_____ = 131

(-149)

i cant solve this for the life of me, I can’t find any example that looks similar for comparison, please help! Step by step would help big time !

essentially just solving for x, but the squared on the x is throwing me off and I don’t know how to get rid of it!

Answer 1

Cross multiplies:

221 - x^2 = 131 * -149

221 - x^2 = -19519

Adds 19519 to both sides

19740 - x^2 = 0

Adds x^2 to both sides

19740 = x^2

2*2*5*3*7*47 = x^2

x^2 = 2*2*3*5*7*47

x = 2 * sqrt(3*5*7*47)

= 2 * sqrt(4935)

check:

221 - [2 * sqrt(4935)]^2

--------------------------

-149

221 - (4*4935)

-----------------

-149

221 - 19740

-------------

-149

-19519 / -149

= 131