Final answer:
The discriminant of the quadratic equation 2x² - 4x + 1 = 0 is calculated using the formula b² - 4ac, which yields 8, indicating two real and distinct roots.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is asking for the discriminant of a quadratic equation.
The discriminant is an expression that can determine the nature of the roots of a quadratic equation (real and distinct, real and equal, or complex), and is given by the formula b² - 4ac.
To find the discriminant of the equation 2x² - 4x + 1 = 0, we identify a = 2, b = -4, and c = 1.
Plugging these into the discriminant formula gives us (-4)² - 4(2)(1) which simplifies to 16 - 8, resulting in a discriminant of 8.
Since the discriminant is positive, this indicates that the quadratic equation has two real and distinct roots.