What Does Variational Formulation Mean in Finite Element Methods?

[pamparana]

Hello,

See this word a lot on internet articles about FEM and such. However, no one explains what actually the term means? I could see that it has something to do with starting with approximate solutions.

Anyone has any idea about this?

Thanks,
Luc

 

[JSuarez]

Finite Element Methods: they are used to approximate solutions of PDE's.