PSLE
Gillian spent ¹₇ of her money on a blouse and 4 dresses. The blouse cost 3 times as much as each dress. Gillian spent ¹₂ of her remaining money on a bracelet. She spent $306 more on the bracelet than on the 4 dresses.
(a) What fraction of Gillian's money was spent on each dress?
(b) How much money did Gillian have at first?
(a)
Cost of 1 dress = 1 u

Cost of 4 dresses
= 4 x 1 u
= 4 u

Cost of 1 blouse = 3 u

Cost of 1 blouse and 4 dresses
= 3 u + 4 u
= 7 u

Fraction of Gillian's money spent on each dress
= ¹₇ x ¹₇
= ¹₄₉

(b)
¹₇ of her money = 7 u
⁶₇ of her money = 6 x 7 u = 42 u

Gillian's remaining money = 42 u

Cost of the bracelet
= ¹₂ x 42 u
= 21 u

Amount that Gillian spent more on the bracelet than on the 4 dresses
= 21 u - 4 u
= 17 u

17 u = 306

1 u = 306 ÷ 17 = 18

⁷₇ of her money = 7 x 7 u = 49 u

Amount that Gillian had at first
= 49 u
= 49 x 18
= $882

Answer(s): (a) ¹₄₉ ; (b) $882