PSLE
Irene spent ¹₄ of her money on a skirt and 3 coats. The skirt cost 3 times as much as each coat. Irene spent ³₄ of her remaining money on a necklace. She spent $126 more on the necklace than on the 3 coats.
(a) What fraction of Irene's money was spent on each coat?
(b) How much money did Irene have at first?
(a)
Cost of 1 coat = 1 u

Cost of 3 coats
= 3 x 1 u
= 3 u

Cost of 1 skirt = 3 u

Cost of 1 skirt and 3 coats
= 3 u + 3 u
= 6 u

Fraction of Irene's money spent on each coat
= ¹₆ x ¹₄
= ¹₂₄

(b)
¹₄ of her money = 6 u
³₄ of her money = 3 x 6 u = 18 u

Irene's remaining money = 18 u

Cost of the necklace
= ³₄ x 18 u
= 13.5 u

Amount that Irene spent more on the necklace than on the 3 coats
= 13.5 u - 3 u
= 10.5 u

10.5 u = 126

1 u = 126 ÷ 10.5 = 12

⁴₄ of her money = 4 x 6 u = 24 u

Amount that Irene had at first
= 24 u
= 24 x 12
= $288

Answer(s): (a) ¹₂₄ ; (b) $288