An Elementary Introduction To Mathematical Finance

This textbook on the basics of option pricing is accessible to readers with limited mathematical training. It is for both professional traders and undergraduates studying the basics of finance. Assuming no prior knowledge of probability, Sheldon M. Ross offers clear, simple explanations of arbitrage, the Black-Scholes option pricing formula, and other topics such as utility functions, optimal portfolio selections, and the capital assets pricing model. Among the many new features of this third edition are new chapters on Brownian motion and geometric Brownian motion, stochastic order relations and stochastic dynamic programming, along with expanded sets of exercises and references for all the chapters.

Table of contents

This mathematically elementary introduction to the theory of options pricing presents the Black-Scholes theory of options as well as introducing such topics in finance as the time value of money, mean variance analysis, optimal portfolio selection, and the capital assets pricing model. The author assumes no prior knowledge of probability and presents all the necessary preliminary material simply and clearly. He explains the concept of arbitrage with examples, and then uses the arbitrage theorem, along with an approximation of geometric Brownian motion, to obtain a simple derivation of the Black-Scholes formula. In the later chapters he presents real price data indicating that this model is not always appropriate and shows how the model can be generalized to deal with such situations. No other text presents such topics in a mathematically accurate but accessible way. It will appeal to professional traders as well as undergraduates studying the basics of finance.

This textbook contains the fundamentals for an undergraduate course in mathematical finance aimed primarily at students of mathematics. Assuming only a basic knowledge of probability and calculus, the material is presented in a mathematically rigorous and complete way. The book covers the time value of money, including the time structure of interest rates, bonds and stock valuation; derivative securities (futures, options), modelling in discrete time, pricing and hedging, and many other core topics. With numerous examples, problems and exercises, this book is ideally suited for independent study.

This book provides an elementary introduction to probability theory and its applications. The emphasis is on essential probabilistic reasoning, amply motivated, explained and illustrated with a large number of carefully selected samples. The fourth edition adds material related to mathematical finance, as well as expansions on stable laws and martingales.

The purpose of this book is to provide a rigorous yet accessible introduction to the modern financial theory of security markets. The main subjects are derivatives and portfolio management. The book is intended to be used as a text by advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students. It is also likely to be useful to practicing financial engineers, portfolio manager, and actuaries who wish to acquire a fundamental understanding of financial theory. The book makes heavy use of mathematics, but not at an advanced level. Various mathematical concepts are developed as needed, and computational examples are emphasized.

This self-contained book presents the theory underlying the valuation of derivative financial instruments, which is becoming a standard part of the professional toolbox in the financial industry. It provides great insight into the underlying economic ideas in a very readable form, putting the reader in an excellent position to proceed to the more general continuous-time theory.

An elementary introduction to probability and mathematical finance including a chapter on the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM), a topic that is very popular among practitioners and economists. Dr. Roman has authored 32 books, including a number of books on mathematics, such as Coding and Information Theory, Advanced Linear Algebra, and Field Theory, published by Springer-Verlag.