Improving financial mathematical knowledge from a different/unique background.

[Stirling]

I am a third year undergrad student for a degree in Finance, Investment and Risk, with the plan to pursue a postgrad in actuarial science. I am preparing to sit the first actuarial exam (financial mathematics) in a weeks time.

I want to vastly improve my financial mathematics understanding, with a view to learning derivative modeling (for my own personal research as well as potential dissertation topics). I have a solid understanding of A level mathematics and statistics, as well as a more advanced understanding in the area of actuarial science (including a very good finance/investment grounding), however i struggle to read more advanced financial mathematics textbooks.

Where i get stumped is in the notation and at how fast a lot of these books move. On the other hand, i feel that less mathematical books (eg: Paul wilmot Quantitative finance) will not give me the required grounding needed.

My ultimate question is what are the best books to read that cover a sufficient enough level of mathematical content that will then enable me to read the more advanced books ( eg: steve shrove: financial calculus). I am more than willing to put in the time studying several books, but i am struggling to determine a definite reading list.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

 

[Daniel Duffy]

Where i get stumped is in the notation and at how fast a lot of these books move.

That's because you don't have the mathematical background. A levels is not enough.

 

[Ryo Eng Lian Hu]

I am a third year undergrad student for a degree in Finance, Investment and Risk, with the plan to pursue a postgrad in actuarial science. I am preparing to sit the first actuarial exam (financial mathematics) in a weeks time.

I want to vastly improve my financial mathematics understanding, with a view to learning derivative modeling (for my own personal research as well as potential dissertation topics). I have a solid understanding of A level mathematics and statistics, as well as a more advanced understanding in the area of actuarial science (including a very good finance/investment grounding), however i struggle to read more advanced financial mathematics textbooks.

Where i get stumped is in the notation and at how fast a lot of these books move. On the other hand, i feel that less mathematical books (eg: Paul wilmot Quantitative finance) will not give me the required grounding needed.

My ultimate question is what are the best books to read that cover a sufficient enough level of mathematical content that will then enable me to read the more advanced books ( eg: steve shrove: financial calculus). I am more than willing to put in the time studying several books, but i am struggling to determine a definite reading list.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

You can take some courses via Quantitative Finance Courses | Coursera.

 

[Daniel Duffy]

I am a third year undergrad student for a degree in Finance, Investment and Risk, with the plan to pursue a postgrad in actuarial science. I am preparing to sit the first actuarial exam (financial mathematics) in a weeks time.

I want to vastly improve my financial mathematics understanding, with a view to learning derivative modeling (for my own personal research as well as potential dissertation topics). I have a solid understanding of A level mathematics and statistics, as well as a more advanced understanding in the area of actuarial science (including a very good finance/investment grounding), however i struggle to read more advanced financial mathematics textbooks.

Where i get stumped is in the notation and at how fast a lot of these books move. On the other hand, i feel that less mathematical books (eg: Paul wilmot Quantitative finance) will not give me the required grounding needed.

My ultimate question is what are the best books to read that cover a sufficient enough level of mathematical content that will then enable me to read the more advanced books ( eg: steve shrove: financial calculus). I am more than willing to put in the time studying several books, but i am struggling to determine a definite reading list.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

BTW it's "Wilmott" to be nit pickedy about it all.

 

[ExSan]

You can take some courses via Quantitative Finance Courses | Coursera.

great link! Thanks.
though where to learn HFT? Coursera does not cover the topic.
someone?

 

[Daniel Duffy]

One way to learn linear algebra is to listen to Gil Strang's lectures 1,2,.... (my academic grandfather), buy his book and others and then install the Eigen C++ or Python libraries and work out the examples on the computer.

Even better is to write your own little matrix library to learn the ropes.

..the source of all great mathematics is the special case, the concrete example. It is frequent in mathematics that every instance of a concept of seemingly great generality is in essence the same as a small and concrete special case.
Paul Halmos

 

[Jakelaker]

One way to learn linear algebra is to listen to Gil Strang's lectures 1,2,.... (my academic grandfather), buy his book and others and then install the Eigen C++ or Python libraries and work out the examples on the computer.

Even better is to write your own little matrix library to learn the ropes.

..the source of all great mathematics is the special case, the concrete example. It is frequent in mathematics that every instance of a concept of seemingly great generality is in essence the same as a small and concrete special case.
Paul Halmos

Aside comment, why does his eye twitch profusely? Is his body demanding some kind of stimulation? All this is trivial and probably second-nature to him so it's likely that he isn't making any high-demanding thoughts, so his body is reacting as such to temporarily manage his lack of high-demanding thoughts that he is so used to (and craving?) on a daily basis?

Edward O. Thorp does it, too. The frequency of his twitches significantly increases as he is quiet and listening to the interviewer. The opposite happens when he starts talking.