The gradient of the curve $y = 2x^3 - 9x^2 + 12x - 4$ at the point where $x = 2$ is

Differentiating: dy/dx = 6x² - 18x + 12. At x = 2: 6(4) - 18(2) + 12 = 24 - 36 + 12 = 0. The gradient is 0, meaning x = 2 is a stationary point. Option B results from substituting x = 2 into the original function's leading terms only, while C and D reflect other arithmetic errors.