PSLE
Gwen spent ¹₉ of her money on a vest and 4 blouses. The vest cost 2 times as much as each blouse. Gwen spent ³₈ of her remaining money on a ring. She spent $140 more on the ring than on the 4 blouses.
(a) What fraction of Gwen's money was spent on each blouse?
(b) How much money did Gwen have at first?
(a)
Cost of 1 blouse = 1 u

Cost of 4 blouses
= 4 x 1 u
= 4 u

Cost of 1 vest = 2 u

Cost of 1 vest and 4 blouses
= 2 u + 4 u
= 6 u

Fraction of Gwen's money spent on each blouse
= ¹₆ x ¹₉
= ¹₅₄

(b)
¹₉ of her money = 6 u
⁸₉ of her money = 8 x 6 u = 48 u

Gwen's remaining money = 48 u

Cost of the ring
= ³₈ x 48 u
= 18 u

Amount that Gwen spent more on the ring than on the 4 blouses
= 18 u - 4 u
= 14 u

14 u = 140

1 u = 140 ÷ 14 = 10

⁹₉ of her money = 9 x 6 u = 54 u

Amount that Gwen had at first
= 54 u
= 54 x 10
= $540

Answer(s): (a) ¹₅₄ ; (b) $540