Introduction to Financial Mathematics

Book excerpt: The second edition of this successful and widely recognized textbook again focuses on discrete topics. The author recognizes two distinct paths of study and careers of actuarial science and financial engineering. This text can be very useful as a common core for both. Therefore, there is substantial material on the theory of interest (the first half of the book), as well as the probabilistic background necessary for the study of portfolio optimization and derivative valuation (the second half). The material in the first two chapters should go a long way toward helping students prepare for the Financial Mathematics (FM) actuarial exam. Also, the discrete material will reveal how beneficial it is to know more about loans in student's personal financial lives. The notable changes and updates to this edition are itemized in the Preface, however, overall, the presentation has been made more efficient. One example is the chapter on discrete probability, rather unique in its emphasis on giving the deterministic problems studied earlier a probabilistic context. Probably is now a subsection on Markov chains. Sample spaces and probability measures, random variables and distributions, expectation, conditional probability, independence, and estimation all follow. Optimal portfolio selection coverage is reorganized and the section on the practicalities of stock transactions has been revised. Market portfolio, and Capital Market Theory coverage is expanded. This book, like the first edition, was written so that the print edition could stand alone. At times we simplify complicated algebraic expressions, or solve systems of linear equations, or numerically solve non-linear equations. Also, some attention is given to the use of computer simulation to approximate solutions to problems. A course in multivariable calculus is not required. The entire text is available digitally from the publisher in the form of a series of Mathematica notebooks, which can be loaded into Mathematica, and which include complete executable commands and programs, and some additional material.