is it used in offerings?
Yes
Mandala
A "mandala offering" in Tibetan Buddhism is a symbolic offering of the entire universe. Every intricate detail of these mandalas is fixed in the tradition and has specific symbolic meanings, often on more than one level.
who built the melbourne castle? Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster when was it built? 1311 - 1322 what rooms can you find in this castle? bakehouse, kitchen, chapel, hall, great chamber, and drawbridge. what are the types of the third one? Bridge chapel, castle chapel, and parecclesion what is the purpose of it? Prayer and worship where does the latter term comes from? Old English "weorþscipe" what does it refer to in buddhism? May take innumerable forms given the doctrine of skillful means; guru yoga, mandala, thanka, etc. what  is the meaning of second skillful means you just mentioned? A geometric configuration of symbols.
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Mandala [SEP] Offerings
A "mandala offering" in Tibetan Buddhism is a symbolic offering of the entire universe. Every intricate detail of these mandalas is fixed in the tradition and has specific symbolic meanings, often on more than one level. Whereas the above mandala represents the pure surroundings of a Buddha, this mandala represents the universe. This type of mandala is used for the mandala-offerings, during which one symbolically offers the universe to the Buddhas or to one's teacher. Within Vajrayana practice, 100,000 of these mandala offerings (to create merit) can be part of the preliminary practices before a student even begins actual tantric practices.