Sean had $262 and Pierre had $146 at first. Each of them bought an identical jacket and an identical coat from the same shop. The coat cost 3 times as much as the jacket. In the end, Sean had 3 times as much money as Pierre. What was the cost of the jacket?

	Sean	Pierre	Difference
Before	$262	$146	$116
Change	- 1 jacket - 1 coat	- 1 jacket - 1 coat
After	3 u	1 u	2 u

Since Sean and Pierre bought the same items, the difference  in their amounts remains the same.

Difference in the amounts that they had
= 3 u - 1 u
= 2 u

2 u = 262 - 146
2 u = 116

1 u = 116 ÷ 2 = 58

Amount that Pierre had in the end
= 1 u
= $58

Cost of 1 jacket and 1 coat
= 146 - 1 u
= 146 - 58
= $88

The coat cost 3 times as much as the jacket.

Cost of 1 jacket = 1 p
Cost of 1 coat = 3 p

Total cost of 1 jacket and 1 coat
= 1 p + 3 p
= 4 p

4 p = 88

1 p = 88 ÷ 4 = 22

Cost of the jacket
= 1 p
= $22

Answer(s): $22