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The Petrov-Galerkin method chooses an approximate solution $u_h$ in a finite-dimensional trial vector space $V_h$ and tests a weak formulation against a possibly different test space $W_h$. For a bilinear form $a$ and a linear functional $\ell$, it imposes $a(u_h,v_h)=\ell (v_h)$ for every $v_h\in W_h$. Taking $W_h=V_h$ recovers the usual Galerkin method. Different test functions can alter stability and accuracy; the Galerkin orthogonality is then against the test space and need not be an orthogonal projection in an energy norm.

For a bounded symmetric coercive bilinear form on a Hilbert space, a solution of $a(u,w)=\ell (w)$ minimizes $J(v)=a(v,v)/2-\ell (v)$. The displayed identity proves strict minimality and uniqueness. Restricting to a conforming finite element space makes the discrete Ritz method equivalent to the Galerkin method. Galerkin orthogonality gives exact best approximation in the energy norm; the Céa lemma translates it into a reference-norm estimate.