Maths Competition

The Maths Competition is the second out of the three School Projects found within Degrees of Lewdity. Like the Science Fair, winning the contest grants the player with beneficial rewards, and a better relationship with the teachers of the local school.

How to Obtain

• Attend Maths class about three to four weeks (21+) into the school term. 

Task

River has assigned the player with the task of putting together a solution for a maths booklet that would otherwise be incomprehensible. After which, the player must present their solution and have it ready for a competition that judges the solution. River even states that no one is expected to find the correct solution, only one who provides the most intelligent answer towards solving the booklet.

The player has a few weeks (twenty-five days) to come up with a solution that impresses River, but also the audience. More importantly, the player must also impress Leighton and the judges attending the competition.

Making Progress

To make progress with this project, simply working on the solution will not be enough. While it is a safe way to add towards the project, the percentage of the player's solution winning only increases by 1%. It is entirely possible to succeed using only this method, albeit a very tedious process to endure.

Thus, the player is turned to different solutions. This will make things a lot easier to deal with. These are Mathematical Insights and Stimulants, respectively. Buying a chair with the "comfy" tag can also speed up the process.

Mathematical Insights

Mathematical Insights can be found from specific areas within the vicinity of the town area, mainly near the School area.

Occasionally, in the school hallways, the player can come across a student working on a solution and approach them. Use Exhibitionism to distract them, reading over their project as they are occupied with the player's body. This requires a Seduction rating of A or more to pull off successfully. This can also occur in the school library.

The player can also come across a student in the hallways who has passed out from using stimulants. They can offer to help the student, or copy part of the solution that the student has completed. Nothing is gained from the helping the student, but the player can get one mathematical insight from copying their work.

Alternatively, if River's Love stat is 60% or higher - this is gained naturally through helping them out at the Soup Kitchen - the player has the option to ask them for help with the maths competition. River will initially decline, thinking of it as unfair. However, they will still decide to give the player a one hour lesson on more advanced maths concepts. Doing this yields three mathematical insights. Note that this is a one-time event, and is not repeatable.

Stimulants

After school, exit through the front gate. The player will spot several other students they recognise from their maths class trading packages with a hooded figure hidden in an alleyway. The player soon learns that inside the packaged bags are brightly-coloured pills to supposedly help with studying - otherwise referred to as a "study aid".

At this point, the player will now be able to interact with the stimulant drug dealers found on Oxford Street. They are present there during dawn, day, and dusk. They will not appear at night. 

The dealer sells one dose of stimulant for expensive prices. 

• First purchase: £500
• Second purchase: £2000
• Third purchase: £5000

The latter price will repeat indefinitely, although getting plentiful amounts of doses will prove to be very difficult. Note that it is impossible to haggle with the dealer.

Stealing

If the prices for stimulants are too much, the player can choose to retrieve the required stimulants using another method - Skulduggery. Use the skill to gain an advantage, stealing from the dealer. Note that it is recommended to have a high Skulduggery to succeed, preferably a B+ or more.

Consequences

Stimulants do not come without potential consequences, if the player is not careful. More information below.

The first stimulant dose is relatively safe, but adds a large amount to Arousal. If they're in the orphanage bedroom and Robin is present and is their love interest, they can initiate a consensual encounter with them. The second and following doses are much more dangerous, as they contain hidden Hallucinogens inside them. Not only will they add immense amounts to Arousal, but the player will also end up outside at some point and end up subject to people taking advantage of their drug-addled, vulnerable state.

Stimulant Kidnapping

Failing the skullduggery check from the stimulant dealer proves to have disastrous results. The player must hope that they are lucky enough to get a chance to run away, otherwise they will end up abducted, driven away far from town to an old building on a remote hill.

Once there, expect to gain extremely heavy hits to Stress, Trauma, and Control respectively. It will be very difficult to regain Control in particular.

For more information, visit this page: Stimulant Kidnapping

How to Win

The Social tab will inform the player of how complete their project is as well as the chances of it winning the competition. Ideally, the player would want to win it fair and square - although they have other means of gaining an advantage during the competition.

• Simply working on the solution adds 1% (or 5% if the player has a comfortable chair).
• Using a Mathematical Insight adds 8% (12% if the player has a comfortable chair).
• Using a stimulant dose will heavily boost the Maths school skill and add 16% (20% if the player has a comfortable chair), while also adding a huge boost to Arousal. Excessive stimulant use may prove to be dangerous, adding Hallucinations to the mix.

Presenting the Solution

Whitney plays a big role during the maths competition, snatching the solution away from the player's hands.

Regardless of what choice the player picks when dealing with Whitney, ultimately they decide to give it back to the player. Once called up, the player has the option to proceed with their maths solution or with an Exhibitionism level of 3 or higher, tease the audience to gain a +10% success chance.

As the player's presentation draws to an end, it appears Whitney has other plans. They become emboldened, and with the help of their friends try to humiliate the player in front of the audience. At this point, the player can finish their presentation right then and there, gaining yet another +10% success chance - at the cost of the player being exposed to the crowd if the player is wearing undergarments. If they are not wearing anything underneath, this will turn out to be more trouble than it is worth.

If the player does not have Whitney available (for example, they have dismissed Whitney) then the player can proceed without any harassment from them or their friends, but this comes at a cost of losing the additional +10% success chance their harassment may offer.

Rewards

• The unique "Maths Competition Winner" trait, as well as the titular feat of the same name.
• A total of £2000.
• Big decreases to Trauma and Delinquency. The latter gets reduced by 216 points (out of 1000 maximum).