Book excerpt: This text presents a complete treatment of the theory and analysis of elastic plates. It provides detailed coverage of classic and shear deformation plate theories and their solutions by analytical as well as numerical methods for bending, buckling and natural vibrations. Analytical solutions are based on the Navier and Levy solution method, and numerical solutions are based on the Rayleigh-Ritz methods and finite element method. The author address a range of topics, including basic equations of elasticity, virtual work and energy principles, cylindrical bending of plates, rectangular plates and an introduction to the finite element method with applications to plates.