The document discusses various methods for 3D object modeling and representation, including:
- Polygonal meshes which approximate surfaces and solids using polygons and can represent a broad class of objects.
- Solid modeling using polygonal meshes where directional information is added to faces using normal vectors.
- Sweep representations that form shapes by extruding or sweeping 2D profiles through space.
- Surface modeling using explicit functions of two variables or surfaces of revolution obtained by rotating curves around axes.