I can't think of a way to reduce it but with trig substitutions. If I'm thinking the same as gurmies, you just subtract the sqrt(x) and square both sides.
Perhaps trig subs is far beyond me. Under which general topic is that under?
O I see. It was in the Cambridge book, under the heading of Equations reducible to quadratics. THus I assumed subsitution was need. THanks for advice Jetblack and gurmies.