Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2002 iii Paper 29 3 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Let be the normal distribution density. The Brownian reflection principle gives the killed endpoint densityIndeed, reflection after the first hit of maps paths ending below that have hit the barrier to paths ending at ; symmetry gives .
By the Girsanov theorem, weighting the path law by makes the coordinate process a Brownian motion with drift . Completing the two squares yieldsIntegration up to proves the joint endpoint and maximum law for drifted Brownian motion:Here is the standard normal distribution function. Setting also gives a continuous barrier distribution, so equality at the barrier has zero probability.
For the up-and-in option, use the risk-neutral measure of the Black-Scholes model with interest rate and spot volatility . ThenAbove , the barrier has certainly been reached. Below , subtracting the killed density from the unrestricted endpoint density leaves . Thus the discounted expected value of its payoff isIn the second integral put , and defineThen , means , and . Both integrals now use the unrestricted terminal stock distribution. This proves that the reflected European payoff for an up-and-in option isTheir initial risk-neutral pricing values agree for payoffs with finite absolute expectations in these integrals. The identity concerns prices; the two terminal payoffs need not agree along individual paths.