To be financially literate in today's market, students and professionals in the field of finance must have a solid understanding of the concepts, instruments and application of financial derivatives. This text offers a broad based introduction to financial derivatives and covers both the technical aspects of these instruments and information about the markets in which they are traded. The text balances rigor and accessibility through a clear writing style, a graduated mathematical treatment, and an integration of numerous examples and worked out activities to illustrate the application of techniques and facilitate self-assessment.