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Stating and deriving the BSM equation

Question

State the Black-Scholes-Merton partial differential equation for a derivative on a non-dividend stock and outline how it is derived.

Short answer

∂f∂t+rS∂f∂S+12σ2S2∂2f∂S2=rf\tfrac{\partial f}{\partial t}+rS\tfrac{\partial f}{\partial S}+\tfrac12\sigma^2S^2\tfrac{\partial^2f}{\partial S^2}=rf. With dS=μS dt+σS dWdS=\mu S\,dt+\sigma S\,dW, Itô's lemma gives dfdf; a portfolio short one derivative and long ∂f/∂S\partial f/\partial S shares has no Brownian term, so it must earn the risk-free rate over each instant, and equating its change to rr times its value yields the PDE.

Adapted from Zhou, A Practical Guide to Quantitative Finance Interviews, sec. 6.1 Option Pricing, 'Black-Scholes-Merton differential equation A', p.141; question and answer rewritten by SelfMadeQuant.com.

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