This is quadratic in [tex]2^x[/tex]; to make this clear, substitute [tex]y=2^x[/tex]. Then
[tex]y^2-4y-1=0\implies y=2\pm\sqrt5[/tex]
One of these solutions for [tex]y[/tex] is negative. But, if [tex]x[/tex] is real, then [tex]y=2^x[/tex] is always supposed to be positive, so we can throw out the negative root, leaving [tex]y=2+\sqrt5[/tex].
We actually don't have to solve for [tex]x[/tex] exactly. We can just rewrite the next two equations in terms of [tex]y[/tex].