page_title: Types of mesh
section_title: Two-dimensional
hierarchical_section_title: Types of mesh / Common cell shapes / Two-dimensional
caption_attribution_description: English: Basic Two Dimensional Cell Shapes
context_page_description: A mesh is a representation of a larger geometric domain by smaller discrete cells. Meshes are commonly used to compute solutions of partial differential equations and render computer graphics, and to analyze geographical and cartographic data. A mesh partitions space into elements over which the equations can be solved, which then approximates the solution over the larger domain. Element boundaries may be constrained to lie on internal or external boundaries within a model. Higher-quality elements have better numerical properties, where what constitutes a "better" element depends on the general governing equations and the particular solution to the model instance.
context_section_description: There are two types of two-dimensional cell shapes that are commonly used. These are the triangle and the quadrilateral.
  Computationally poor elements will have sharp internal angles or short edges or both.
caption: Basic two-dimensional Cell shapes
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