Sam had $240 and Ben had $142 at first. Each of them bought an identical jacket and an identical blazer from the same shop. The blazer cost 2 times as much as the jacket. In the end, Sam had 3 times as much money as Ben. What was the cost of the jacket?

	Sam	Ben	Difference
Before	$240	$142	$98
Change	- 1 jacket - 1 blazer	- 1 jacket - 1 blazer
After	3 u	1 u	2 u

Since Sam and Ben 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 = 240 - 142
2 u = 98

1 u = 98 ÷ 2 = 49

Amount that Ben had in the end
= 1 u
= $49

Cost of 1 jacket and 1 blazer
= 142 - 1 u
= 142 - 49
= $93

The blazer cost 2 times as much as the jacket.

Cost of 1 jacket = 1 p
Cost of 1 blazer = 2 p

Total cost of 1 jacket and 1 blazer
= 1 p + 2 p
= 3 p

3 p = 93

1 p = 93 ÷ 3 = 31

Cost of the jacket
= 1 p
= $31

Answer(s): $31