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Undergraduate-level Black-Scholes derivation

Question

Give a derivation of the Black-Scholes equation that a student who knows basic calculus and probability, but no stochastic analysis, could follow.

Short answer

Hedge away the randomness and demand the riskless rate. Model the stock as dS=μS dt+σS dWdS=\mu S\,dt+\sigma S\,dW and treat (dW)2(dW)^2 as dtdt, so a Taylor expansion of V(S,t)V(S,t) gives dV=(Vt+μSVS+12σ2S2VSS)dt+σSVS dWdV=(V_t+\mu SV_S+\tfrac12\sigma^2S^2V_{SS})dt+\sigma SV_S\,dW. A portfolio long the option and short VSV_S shares has no dWdW term, so to avoid arbitrage it must grow at rr, which yields Vt+12σ2S2VSS+rSVS−rV=0V_t+\tfrac12\sigma^2S^2V_{SS}+rSV_S-rV=0.

Adapted from Joshi, Denson & Downes, Quant Job Interview Questions and Answers, Q2.2, p.16; question and answer rewritten by SelfMadeQuant.com.

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