(1) The document solves for the approximate deflection of a simply supported beam carrying a symmetrical triangular load P using the Rayleigh Ritz method.
(2) It models the deflection w(x) and derives equations for the total potential energy Π and moment of inertia I2 in terms of w(x).
(3) By taking the derivative of Π with respect to the constants C1 and C2 and setting them to zero, it arrives at the solution for the deflection w(x) = (Pl^3/48EI)(4x^3/l^3 - 3x^2/l^2) which matches the exact solution.