Respuesta :

Join the centre O to the chord (let it be MN) & let OH be the perpendicular to the chord

OH bisects MN into 2 equal parts (each one is x/2)
OMH is a right triangle with one side =8, the second leg =x/2 & the hypotenuse = 12 (Radius)
Apply Pythagoras:

12² = 8² +(x/2)² ==>144=64 + x²/4 ==> x²=4(144-64) =320

x²=320==> x=√320 =17.88 ≈17.9