PSLE
Zara spent ¹₁₀ of her money on a blouse and 4 vests. The blouse cost 2 times as much as each vest. Zara spent ⁴₅ of her remaining money on a ring. She spent $588 more on the ring than on the 4 vests.
(a) What fraction of Zara's money was spent on each vest?
(b) How much money did Zara have at first?
(a)
Cost of 1 vest = 1 u

Cost of 4 vests
= 4 x 1 u
= 4 u

Cost of 1 blouse = 2 u

Cost of 1 blouse and 4 vests
= 2 u + 4 u
= 6 u

Fraction of Zara's money spent on each vest
= ¹₆ x ¹₁₀
= ¹₆₀

(b)
¹₁₀ of her money = 6 u
⁹₁₀ of her money = 9 x 6 u = 54 u

Zara's remaining money = 54 u

Cost of the ring
= ⁴₅ x 54 u
= 43.2 u

Amount that Zara spent more on the ring than on the 4 vests
= 43.2 u - 4 u
= 39.2 u

39.2 u = 588

1 u = 588 ÷ 39.2 = 15

¹⁰₁₀ of her money = 10 x 6 u = 60 u

Amount that Zara had at first
= 60 u
= 60 x 15
= $900

Answer(s): (a) ¹₆₀ ; (b) $900