Albert had $234 and Tom had $158 at first. Each of them bought an identical jacket and an identical blazer from the same shop. The blazer cost 4 times as much as the jacket. In the end, Albert had 3 times as much money as Tom. What was the cost of the jacket?

	Albert	Tom	Difference
Before	$234	$158	$76
Change	- 1 jacket - 1 blazer	- 1 jacket - 1 blazer
After	3 u	1 u	2 u

Since Albert and Tom 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 = 234 - 158
2 u = 76

1 u = 76 ÷ 2 = 38

Amount that Tom had in the end
= 1 u
= $38

Cost of 1 jacket and 1 blazer
= 158 - 1 u
= 158 - 38
= $120

The blazer cost 4 times as much as the jacket.

Cost of 1 jacket = 1 p
Cost of 1 blazer = 4 p

Total cost of 1 jacket and 1 blazer
= 1 p + 4 p
= 5 p

5 p = 120

1 p = 120 ÷ 5 = 24

Cost of the jacket
= 1 p
= $24

Answer(s): $24