The formula for the discriminant is simple but powerful: D=b2−4ac. The discriminant is an important term to know when dealing with quadratic equations.Essentially, the discriminant is simply this expression: b2-4ac. Using the square root property it is possible to solve any quadratic equation written in the form. The discriminate formula is b squared minus four ac for quadratic equation in standard form ax squared plus bx plus c. The discriminant tells you about the "nature" of the roots of a quadratic equation given that a, b and c are rational numbers. The discriminant is positive, so there are two real solutions. The formula derives from the quadratic formula. The discriminant is the part of the quadratic formula underneath the square root symbol: b²-4ac. The discriminant is calculated using the formula D=b2−4ac.