About the Course

Mathematics of Pixar

Learn how digital artists animate the mouth of a Toy Story character by manipulating a single point on a polygon, or how combinations are applied to turn three unique robot designs into 3,000 individual robots for background characters in Wall-E. How many helium-filled balloons does it take to fly? What do combinatorics, geometric modeling, and trigonometry have in common? All are mathematical questions answered every day by animators at Pixar Studios.

Use real examples from Pixar films to explore various principles of mathematics—specific topics include advanced counting, combinations and permutations, coordinate geometry, distance and midpoints, area, volume, and averages. Through individual lessons, group activities, problem sets, and watching popular films, develop a strong understanding of why Pixar relies so heavily on the work of mathematicians.

Fall and Spring Time Commitment: 4-5 hours per week (1-hour of class time, 3-4 hours of independent work).
Summer Time Commitment: 12-15 hours per week (3-hours of class time, 9-12 hours of independent work).

Course Overview

This course is

ungraded.

Classes

Register for an Online course by selecting an open class below. If no open classes are listed, then course enrollment is currently closed. Note: You will need to have an active CTY Account to complete registration through MyCTY.

Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
-
3 weeks
9:00 p.m. (ET)
$1,433
Enroll

Testing and Prerequisites

  Math Verbal
Required Level CTY-Level Not required
Check your eligibility using existing test scores If you do not have existing test scores:

Students must achieve qualifying scores on an advanced assessment to be eligible for CTY programs. If you don’t have qualifying scores, you have several different testing options. We’ll help you find the right option for your situation.

Sign up for Testing Learn More

Cost and Financial Aid

  • Tuition
    • Varies
  • Application fee
    • Nonrefundable Application Fee - $15 (Waived for financial aid applicants)
    • Nonrefundable International Fee - $20 (outside US only)

CTY Financial Aid Availability for Online Programs

Academic Year 2025-26 (Course start dates July 1, 2025- June 30, 2026): Financial Aid funding is currently available for all eligible students while funding lasts. If interested in applying for financial aid, please select a course with start date of July 1, 2025, or later.

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Course Materials

Please acquire all course materials by the course start date, unless noted as perishable. Items marked as “perishable” should not be acquired until the student needs them in the course. If you have questions about these materials or difficulty locating them, please contact [email protected].
 

  • Disney+ Membership

Technical Requirements

This course requires a computer with high-speed Internet access and an up-to-date web browser such as Chrome or Firefox. You must be able to communicate with the instructor via email. Visit the Technical Requirements and Support page for more details.

This course uses a virtual classroom for instructor-student communication. The classroom works on standard computers with the Zoom desktop client, and on tablets or handhelds that support the Zoom Mobile app. Recorded meetings can only be viewed on a computer with the Zoom desktop client installed. The Zoom desktop client and Zoom Mobile App are both free to download.

About Mathematics at CTY

Our online Mathematics courses—spanning elementary through college-level curricula—cover a wide range of topics, from algebra and geometry to chess, cryptology, and AP Calculus and are guided by expert instructors. You’ll join group sessions with classmates to ensure you stay on track with challenging course content. Whether you’re looking for pure math fun and enrichment, to move up the math ladder and advance your honors and AP (and beyond) academic standing, or to train for mathematics competitions, there’s a CTY course that’s right for you.

New math enrichment courses available!

Explore our new math enrichment courses, including Excursions in Pre-algebra and Introduction to Logic and Proofs.

Join the exciting world of competitive math

Participate in the High School Math Club or enroll in 6 IP courses: Middle School Competitive Math I, Middle School Competitive Math II, Competitive Mathematics Prep, Competitive Mathematics I.

Meet our Mathematics Instructors