CHAPTER 12

Introduction to Binomial Trees

Practice Questions
Problem 12.8.
Consider the situation in which stock price movements during the life of a European option
are governed by a two-step binomial tree. Explain why it is not possible to set up a position
in the stock and the option that remains riskless for the whole of the life of the option.
The riskless portfolio consists of a short position in the option and a long position in
shares. Because changes during the life of the option, this riskless portfolio must also
change.
Problem 12.9.
A stock price is currently $50. It is known that at the end of two months it will be either $53
or $48. The risk-free interest rate is 10% per annum with continuous compounding. What is
the value of a two-month European call option with a strikeprice of $49? Use no-arbitrage
arguments.
At the end of two months the value of the option will be either $4 (if the stock price is $53) or
$0 (if the stock price is $48). Consider a portfolio consisting of:
shares
1 option
The value of the portfolio is either 48 or 53 4 in two months. If
48 53 4
i.e.,
08
the value of the portfolio is certain to be 38.4. For this value of the portfolio is therefore
riskless. The current value of the portfolio is:
08 50 f
where f is the value of the option. Since the portfolio must earn the risk-free rate of interest
(08 50 f )e010212 384
i.e.,
f 223
The value of the option is therefore $2.23.
This can also be calculated directly from equations (12.2) and (12.3). u 106 , d 096 so
that
e0102 12 096
p
05681
106 096
and
f e 010212 05681 4 223
Problem 12.10.

A stock price is currently $80. It is known that at the end of four months it will be either $75
or $85. The risk-free interest rate is 5% per annum with continuous compounding. What is
the value of a four-month European put option with a strikeprice of $80? Use no-arbitrage
arguments.
At the end of four months the value of the option will be either $5 (if the stock price is $75)
or $0 (if the stock price is $85). Consider a portfolio consisting of:
shares
1 option
(Note: The delta, of a put option is negative. We have constructed the portfolio so that it is
+1 option and shares rather than 1 option and shares so that the initial investment
is positive.)
The value of the portfolio is either 85 or 75 5 in four months. If
85 75 5
i.e.,
05
the value of the portfolio is certain to be 42.5. For this value of the portfolio is therefore
riskless. The current value of the portfolio is:
05 80 f
where f is the value of the option. Since the portfolio is riskless
(05 80 f )e005412 425
i.e.,
f 180
The value of the option is therefore $1.80.
This can also be calculated directly from equations (12.2) and (12.3). u 10625 , d 09375
so that
e005412 09375
p
06345
10625 09375
1 p 03655 and
f e005412 03655 5 180
Problem 12.11.
A stock price is currently $40. It is known that at the end of three months it will be either $45
or $35. The risk-free rate of interest with quarterly compounding is 8% per annum. Calculate
the value of a three-month European put option on the stock with an exercise price of $40.
Verify that no-arbitrage arguments and risk-neutral valuation arguments give the same
answers.
At the end of three months the value of the option is either $5 (if the stock price is $35) or $0
(if the stock price is $45).
Consider a portfolio consisting of:
shares
1 option
(Note: The delta, , of a put option is negative. We have constructed the portfolio so that it is
+1 option and shares rather than 1 option and shares so that the initial investment
is positive.)

The value of the portfolio is either 35 5 or 45 . If:

35 5 45
i.e.,
05
the value of the portfolio is certain to be 22.5. For this value of the portfolio is therefore
riskless. The current value of the portfolio is
40 f
where f is the value of the option. Since the portfolio must earn the risk-free rate of interest
(40 05 f ) 102 225
Hence
f 206
i.e., the value of the option is $2.06.
This can also be calculated using risk-neutral valuation. Suppose that p is the probability of
an upward stock price movement in a risk-neutral world. We must have
45 p 35(1 p ) 40 102
i.e.,
10 p 58
or:
p 058
The expected value of the option in a risk-neutral world is:
0 058 5 042 210
This has a present value of
210
206
102
This is consistent with the no-arbitrage answer.
Problem 12.12.
A stock price is currently $50. Over each of the next two three-month periods it is expected to
go up by 6% or down by 5%. The risk-free interest rate is 5% per annum with continuous
compounding. What is the value of a six-month European call option with a strike price of
$51?
A tree describing the behavior of the stock price is shown in Figure S12.1. The risk-neutral
probability of an up move, p, is given by
e005312 095
p
05689
106 095
There is a payoff from the option of 5618 51 518 for the highest final node (which
corresponds to two up moves) zero in all other cases. The value of the option is therefore
518 056892 e 005612 1635
This can also be calculated by working back through the tree as indicated in Figure S12.1.
The value of the call option is the lower number at each node in the figure.

Figure S12.1 Tree for Problem 12.12

Problem 12.13.
For the situation considered in Problem 12.12, what is the value of a six-month European put
option with a strike price of $51? Verify that the European call and European put prices
satisfy putcall parity. If the put option were American, would it ever be optimal to exercise it
early at any of the nodes on the tree?
The tree for valuing the put option is shown in Figure S12.2. We get a payoff of
51 5035 065 if the middle final node is reached and a payoff of 51 45125 5875 if
the lowest final node is reached. The value of the option is therefore
(065 2 05689 04311 5875 043112 ) e 005612 1376
This can also be calculated by working back through the tree as indicated in Figure S12.2.
The value of the put plus the stock price is from Problem 12.12
1376 50 51376
The value of the call plus the present value of the strike price is
1635 51e 0056 12 51376
This verifies that putcall parity holds
To test whether it worth exercising the option early we compare the value calculated for the
option at each node with the payoff from immediate exercise. At node C the payoff from
immediate exercise is 51 475 35 . Because this is greater than 2.8664, the option should
be exercised at this node. The option should not be exercised at either node A or node B.

Figure S12.2 Tree for Problem 12.13

Problem 12.14.
A stock price is currently $25. It is known that at the end of two months it will be either $23

or $27. The risk-free interest rate is 10% per annum with continuous compounding. Suppose
ST is the stock price at the end of two months. What is the value of a derivative that pays off

ST2 at this time?

At the end of two months the value of the derivative will be either 529 (if the stock price is
23) or 729 (if the stock price is 27). Consider a portfolio consisting of:

shares
1 derivative
The value of the portfolio is either 27 729 or 23 529 in two months. If
27 729 23 529
i.e.,
50
the value of the portfolio is certain to be 621. For this value of the portfolio is therefore
riskless. The current value of the portfolio is:
50 25 f
where f is the value of the derivative. Since the portfolio must earn the risk-free rate of
interest
(50 25 f )e 0102 12 621
i.e.,
f 6393
The value of the option is therefore $639.3.
This can also be calculated directly from equations (12.2) and (12.3). u 108 , d 092 so
that
e010212 092
p
06050
108 092
and
f e 010212 (06050 729 03950 529) 6393
Problem 12.15.
Calculate u , d , and p when a binomial tree is constructed to value an option on a foreign
currency. The tree step size is one month, the domestic interest rate is 5% per annum, the
foreign interest rate is 8% per annum, and the volatility is 12% per annum.
In this case
a e (005008)112 09975

u e012

112

10352

d 1 u 09660
p

09975 09660
04553
10352 09660

Problem 12.16.
The volatility of a non-dividend-paying stock whose price is $78, is 30%. The risk-free
rate is 3% per annum (continuously compounded) for all maturities. Calculate values for

u, d, and p when a two-month time step is used. What is the value of a four-month
European call option with a strike price of $80 given by a two-step binomial tree.
Suppose a trader sells 1,000 options (10 contracts). What position in the stock is
necessary to hedge the traders position at the time of the trade?
u e 0.30

0.1667

1.1303

d 1 / u 0.8847
p

e 0.302 / 12 0.8847
0.4898
1.1303 0.8847

The tree is given in Figure S12.3. The value of the option is $4.67. The initial delta is 9.58/
(88.16 69.01) which is almost exactly 0.5 so that 500 shares should be purchased.

Figure S12.3: Tree for Problem 12.16

Problem 12.17.
A stock index is currently 1,500. Its volatility is 18%. The risk-free rate is 4% per annum
(continuously compounded) for all maturities and the dividend yield on the index is
2.5%. Calculate values for u, d, and p when a six-month time step is used. What is the
value a 12-month American put option with a strike price of 1,480 given by a two-step
binomial tree.
u e 0.18 0.5 1.1357
d 1 / u 0.8805
p

e ( 0.04 0.025 )0.5 0.8805

0.4977
1.1357 0.8805

The tree is shown in Figure S12.4. The option is exercised at the lower node at the six-month
point. It is worth 78.41.

Figure S12.4: Tree for Problem 12.17

Problem 12.18
The futures price of a commodity is $90. Use a three-step tree to value (a) a nine-month
American call option with strike price $93 and (b) a nine-month American put option
with strike price $93. The volatility is 28% and the risk-free rate (all maturities) is 3%
with continuous compounding.
u e 0.28

0.25

1.1503

d 1 / u 0.8694
u

1 0.8694
0.4651
1.1503 0.8694

The tree for valuing the call is in Figure S12.5a and that for valuing the put is in Figure
S12.5b. The values are 7.94 and 10.88, respectively.

Figure S12.5a: Call

Figure S12.5b: Put

Further Questions
Problem 12.19
The current price of a non-dividend-paying biotech stock is $140 with a volatility of
25%. The risk-free rate is 4%. For a three-month time step:
(a) What is the percentage up movement?

(b) What is the percentage down movement?

(c) What is the probability of an up movement in a risk-neutral world?
(d) What is the probability of a down movement in a risk-neutral world?
Use a two-step tree to value a six-month European call option and a six-month
European put option. In both cases the strike price is $150.
(a) u e 0.25 0.25 = 1.1331. The percentage up movement is 13.31%
(b) d = 1/u = 0.8825. The percentage down movement is 11.75%
(c) The probability of an up movement is
(e 0.040.25 ) .8825) /(1.1331 .8825) 0.5089

(d) The probability of a down movement is0.4911.

The tree for valuing the call is in Figure S12.6a and that for valuing the put is in Figure
S12.6b. The values are 7.56 and 14.58, respectively.

Figure S12.6a: Call

Figure S12.6b: Put

Problem 12.20
In Problem 12.19, suppose that a trader sells 10,000 European call options. How many
shares of the stock are needed to hedge the position for the first and second three-month
period? For the second time period, consider both the case where the stock price moves up
during the first period and the case where it moves down during the first period.
The delta for the first period is 15/(158.64 123.55) = 0.4273. The trader should take a long
position in 4,273 shares. If there is an up movement the delta for the second period is 29.76/
(179.76 140) = 0.7485. The trader should increase the holding to 7,485 shares. If there is a
down movement the trader should decrease the holding to zero.
Problem 12.21.
A stock price is currently $50. It is known that at the end of six months it will be either $60 or
$42. The risk-free rate of interest with continuous compounding is 12% per annum. Calculate
the value of a six-month European call option on the stock with an exercise price of $48.
Verify that no-arbitrage arguments and risk-neutral valuation arguments give the same
answers.
At the end of six months the value of the option will be either $12 (if the stock price is $60)

or $0 (if the stock price is $42). Consider a portfolio consisting of:

shares
1 option
The value of the portfolio is either 42 or 60 12 in six months. If
42 60 12
i.e.,
06667
the value of the portfolio is certain to be 28. For this value of the portfolio is therefore
riskless. The current value of the portfolio is:
06667 50 f
where f is the value of the option. Since the portfolio must earn the risk-free rate of interest
(06667 50 f )e01205 28
i.e.,
f 696
The value of the option is therefore $6.96.
This can also be calculated using risk-neutral valuation. Suppose that p is the probability of
an upward stock price movement in a risk-neutral world. We must have
60 p 42(1 p) 50 e006
i.e.,
18 p 1109
or:
p 06161
The expected value of the option in a risk-neutral world is:
12 06161 0 03839 73932
This has a present value of
73932e 006 696
Hence the above answer is consistent with risk-neutral valuation.
Problem 12.22.
A stock price is currently $40. Over each of the next two three-month periods it is expected to
go up by 10% or down by 10%. The risk-free interest rate is 12% per annum with continuous
compounding.
a. What is the value of a six-month European put option with a strike price of $42?
b. What is the value of a six-month American put option with a strike price of $42?
a. A tree describing the behavior of the stock price is shown in Figure S12.7. The riskneutral probability of an up move, p , is given by
e012312 090
p
06523
11 09
Calculating the expected payoff and discounting, we obtain the value of the option as
[24 2 06523 03477 96 03477 2 ]e 0126 12 2118
The value of the European option is 2.118. This can also be calculated by working
back through the tree as shown in Figure S12.7. The second number at each node is
the value of the European option.
b. The value of the American option is shown as the third number at each node on the
tree. It is 2.537. This is greater than the value of the European option because it is

optimal to exercise early at node C.

Figure S12.7 Tree to evaluate European and American put options in Problem 12.22. At
each node, upper number is the stock price, the next number is the European put price, and
the final number is the American put price
Problem 12.23.
Using a trial-and-error approach, estimate how high the strike price has to be in Problem
12.17 for it to be optimal to exercise the option immediately.
Trial and error shows that immediate early exercise is optimal when the strike price is above
43.2.
This can be also shown to be true algebraically. Suppose the strike price increases by a
relatively small amount q . This increases the value of being at node C by q and the value of
being at node B by 03477e 003q 03374q . It therefore increases the value of being at node
A by
(06523 03374q 03477 q )e 003 0551q
For early exercise at node A we require 2537 0551q 2 q or q 1196 . This
corresponds to the strike price being greater than 43.196.
Problem 12.24.
A stock price is currently $30. During each two-month period for the next four months it is
expected to increase by 8% or reduce by 10%. The risk-free interest rate is 5%. Use a two2
step tree to calculate the value of a derivative that pays off max[(30 ST ) 0] where ST is
the stock price in four months? If the derivative is American-style, should it be exercised
early?

This type of option is known as a power option. A tree describing the behavior of the stock
price is shown in Figure S12.8. The risk-neutral probability of an up move, p , is given by
e0052 12 09
p
06020
108 09
Calculating the expected payoff and discounting, we obtain the value of the option as
[07056 2 06020 03980 3249 039802 ]e 0054 12 5394
The value of the European option is 5.394. This can also be calculated by working back
through the tree as shown in Figure S12.8. The second number at each node is the value of
the European option.
Early exercise at node C would give 9.0 which is less than 13.2449. The option should
therefore not be exercised early if it is American.

Figure S12.8 Tree to evaluate European power option in Problem 12.24. At each node, upper
number is the stock price and the next number is the option price

Problem 12.25.
Consider a European call option on a non-dividend-paying stock where the stock price is
$40, the strike price is $40, the risk-free rate is 4% per annum, the volatility is 30% per
annum, and the time to maturity is six months.
a. Calculate u , d , and p for a two step tree
b. Value the option using a two step tree.
c. Verify that DerivaGem gives the same answer
d. Use DerivaGem to value the option with 5, 50, 100, and 500 time steps.
(a) In this case t 025 so that u e030

025

11618 , d 1 u 08607 , and

e004025 08607
04959
11618 08607

(b) and (c) The value of the option using a two-step tree as given by DerivaGem is shown in
Figure S12.9 to be 3.3739. To use DerivaGem choose the first worksheet, select Equity as the
underlying type, and select Binomial European as the Option Type. After carrying out the
calculations select Display Tree.
(d) With 5, 50, 100, and 500 time steps the value of the option is 3.9229, 3.7394, 3.7478, and
3.7545, respectively.

Figure S12.9 Tree produced by DerivaGem to evaluate European option in Problem 12.25

Problem 12.26.
Repeat Problem 12.25 for an American put option on a futures contract. The strike price and
the futures price are $50, the risk-free rate is 10%, the time to maturity is six months, and the
volatility is 40% per annum.

(a) In this case t 025 and u e040 025 12214 , d 1 u 08187 , and
e01025 08187
p
04502
12214 08187
(b) and (c) The value of the option using a two-step tree is 4.8604.
(d) With 5, 50, 100, and 500 time steps the value of the option is 5.6858, 5.3869, 5.3981, and
5.4072, respectively.
Problem 12.27
A stock index is currently 990, the risk-free rate is 5%, and the dividend yield on the
index is 2%. Use a three-step tree to value an 18-month American put option with a
strike price of 1,000 when the volatility is 20% per annum. How much does the option
holder gain by being able to exercise early? When is the gain made?
The tree is shown in Figure S12.10. The value of the option is 87.51. It is optimal to exercise
at the lowest node at time one year. If early exercise were not possible the value at this node
would be 236.63. The gain made at the one year point is therefore 253.90 236.63
= 17.27.

Figure 12.10 Tree for Problem 12.27

Problem 12.28
Calculate the value of nine-month American call option on a foreign currency using a
three-step binomial tree. The current exchange rate is 0.79 and the strike price is 0.80
(both expressed as dollars per unit of the foreign currency). The volatility of the
exchange rate is 12% per annum. The domestic and foreign risk-free rates are 2%
and 5%, respectively. Suppose a company has bought options on 1 million units of the
foreign currency. What position in the foreign currency is initially necessary to hedge its
risk?
The tree is shown in Figure S12.11. The cost of an American option to buy one million units
of the foreign currency is $18,100. The delta initially is (0.0346 0.0051)/(0.8261 0.7554) =
0.4176. The company should sell 417,600 units of the foreign currency

Figure S12.11: Tree for Problem 12.28