First, divide each side of the equation by #color(red)(4)# to isolate the term with the exponent while keeping the equation balanced:
#(4(x - 5)^(1/2))/color(red)(4) =28/color(red)(4)#
#(color(red)(cancel(color(black)(4)))(x - 5)^(1/2))/cancel(color(red)(4)) =7#
#(x - 5)^(1/2) =7#
Next, square both sides of the equation to eliminate the exponent while keeping the equation balanced:
#((x - 5)^color(red)(1/2))^color(blue)(2) = 7^2#
#(x - 5)^(color(red)(1/2)xxcolor(blue)(2)) = 49#
#(x - 5)^1 = 49#
#x - 5 = 49#
Now, add #color(red)(5)# to each side of the equation to solve for #x# while keeping the equation balanced:
#x - 5 + color(red)(5) = 49 + color(red)(5)#
#x - 0 = 54#
#x = 54#