Elementary Probability Theory: With Stochastic Processes and an Introduction to Mathematical Finance (Undergraduate Texts in Mathematics) - Hardcover

Chung, Kai Lai; AitSahlia, Farid

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 038795578X ISBN 13: 9780387955780

Publisher: Springer, 2003

Synopsis

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

From the reviews: "Almost thirty years after its first edition, this charming book continues to be an excellent text for teaching and for self study." -- STATISTICAL PAPERS

About this title

Review

"In spite of the original edition of the book being nearly thirty years old, the text still has its role to play in first and second year undergraduate probability courses. It provides an excellent foundation to more advanced courses in the subject."
Short Book Reviews, Vol. 23/3, Dec. 2003

"This edition is the third revision of a text on mathematical probability first published in 1974. The text is aimed at undergraduate mathematics students and is accessible to a general audience. The prose is accurate, entertaining, and dense with historical tidbits. Two concluding chapters on mathematical finance have been added to the eight chapters in the third edition by the second author." The American Statistician, May 2004

From the reviews of the fourth edition:

"The main novelty in the fourth edition of this well-written book is the addition of new chapters ... . The new chapters share the friendly yet rigorous style of the former ones. They begin with an account of the financial vocabulary, which is then expounded in probabilistic terms. ... Almost thirty years after its first edition, this charming book continues to be an excellent text for teaching and for self study." (Ricardo Maronna, Statistical Papers, Vol. 45 (4), 2004)

Synopsis

This book is an introductory textbook on probability theory and its applications. Basic concepts such as probability measure, random variable, distribution, and expectation are fully treated without technical complications. Both the discrete and continuous cases are covered, but only the elements of calculus are used in the latter case. The emphasis is on essential probabilistic reasoning, amply motivated, explained and illustrated with a large number of carefully selected samples. Special topics include: combinatorial problems, urn schemes, Poisson processes, random walks, and Markov chains. Problems and solutions are provided at the end of each chapter. Its elementary nature and conciseness make this a useful text not only for mathematics majors, but also for students in engineering and the physical, biological, and social sciences. This edition adds two chapters covering introductory material on mathematical finance as well as expansions on stable laws and martingales. Foundational elements of modern portfolio and option pricing theories are presented in a detailed and rigorous manner.

This approach distinguishes this text from others, which are either too advanced mathematically or cover significantly more finance topics at the expense of mathematical rigor.

Edition details

• Publisher: Springer
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 038795578X
• ISBN 13: 9780387955780
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 4
• Number of pages: 418