I wonder if this was being graded on a curve. If so, an interesting strategy would have been to sabotage the group effort while secretly preparing a "lone wolf

I wonder if this was being graded on a curve. If so, an interesting strategy would have been to sabotage the group effort while secretly preparing a "lone wolf" answer. The saboteur could continually steer the conversation in the wrong direction and possibly even alter the group answer to something absurd before it was turned in. Or if he wanted to concentrate on his own work, he could bring some headphones to tune out the horrendous noise coming from outside the classroom where his friends happen to be practicing for their upcoming rock gig.