PSLE
Min spent ¹₇ of her money on a sweater and 4 dresses. The sweater cost 2 times as much as each dress. Min spent ⁵₆ of her remaining money on a necklace. She spent $728 more on the necklace than on the 4 dresses.
(a) What fraction of Min's money was spent on each dress?
(b) How much money did Min have at first?
(a)
Cost of 1 dress = 1 u

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

Cost of 1 sweater = 2 u

Cost of 1 sweater and 4 dresses
= 2 u + 4 u
= 6 u

Fraction of Min's money spent on each dress
= ¹₆ x ¹₇
= ¹₄₂

(b)
¹₇ of her money = 6 u
⁶₇ of her money = 6 x 6 u = 36 u

Min's remaining money = 36 u

Cost of the necklace
= ⁵₆ x 36 u
= 30 u

Amount that Min spent more on the necklace than on the 4 dresses
= 30 u - 4 u
= 26 u

26 u = 728

1 u = 728 ÷ 26 = 28

⁷₇ of her money = 7 x 6 u = 42 u

Amount that Min had at first
= 42 u
= 42 x 28
= $1176

Answer(s): (a) ¹₄₂ ; (b) $1176