The family was of limited means and could not afford education for the children beyond what was provided by the public school system.
Pastori excelled in mathematics, which was encouraged by one of her teachers, who aided her in getting a scholarship to Maria Agnesi School, a magisterial school (similar to a teacher's college).
While teaching, Pastori studied further with her sister Giuseppina (who became a physician and biologist).
[2] At the age of twenty Pastori she sat for the state exams, and earned a baccalaureate with highest honors.
Most of Pastori's research and publications were focused on differential calculus as developed by Gregorio Ricci-Curbastro, as well of the application of mathematics to electromagnets.