Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2006 / iii / Paper 35 / 1 / c

For two candidates $A,C$, their difference is a continuous adapted finite-variation process. It is also a local martingale, sinceApply part (b) after subtracting its initial value. ConsequentlyThis proves the uniqueness of an increasing square compensator when the initial value is prescribed, in particular under the standard quadratic variation normalization $A_0=C_0=0$.

The printed assertion omits that normalization and is literally false. For standard Brownian motion $Y$, both $A_t=t$ and $C_t=t+1$ are continuous adapted increasing processes; both $Y_t^2-t$ and $Y_t^2-t-1$ are martingales. Thus uniqueness holds after fixing the initial value; otherwise it holds only up to an initial constant.