This tutorial is showing you the difference between Polygon ans NURBs. The detail requires enough time and space so the concept is split into two parts and this tutorial is mainly describing the polygon and it components. The main difference between both of them is that polygon is basic element in modeling while the NURBs is olden term of surface. Now in latest versions of Maya, there is proper main menu set of surface with multiple function and commands. The polygon is sub menu of modeling category and it provides us basic polygonal primitive for our modeling where later on we modify their shape to make desired model.
The polygonal primitives are also located on the shelf menu at above of Maya user interface. There are subdivision setting on the shelf in tabs which gives us large collection of primitive by clicking on related tab. When we select the primitive from shelf menu or polygon menu, it automatically lies in the centre of the grid. There, you can modify the shape of the object by using object manipulation tool locating on the left side of the grid. If you want to work in all viewport, you can choose orthographic viewport in the bottom of object manipulating tools or you can get access easily by short cut key of space bar.So this was some basic information of polygonal modeling and next part we shall read about NURBs modeling because the both are very adequate essential in Maya modeling.Watch the following video giving you information about Polygon modeling in Maya.