PSLE
Rachel spent ¹₈ of her money on a sweater and 4 blouses. The sweater cost 2 times as much as each blouse. Rachel spent ⁴₇ of her remaining money on a bracelet. She spent $360 more on the bracelet than on the 4 blouses.
(a) What fraction of Rachel's money was spent on each blouse?
(b) How much money did Rachel have at first?
(a)
Cost of 1 blouse = 1 u

Cost of 4 blouses
= 4 x 1 u
= 4 u

Cost of 1 sweater = 2 u

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

Fraction of Rachel's money spent on each blouse
= ¹₆ x ¹₈
= ¹₄₈

(b)
¹₈ of her money = 6 u
⁷₈ of her money = 7 x 6 u = 42 u

Rachel's remaining money = 42 u

Cost of the bracelet
= ⁴₇ x 42 u
= 24 u

Amount that Rachel spent more on the bracelet than on the 4 blouses
= 24 u - 4 u
= 20 u

20 u = 360

1 u = 360 ÷ 20 = 18

⁸₈ of her money = 8 x 6 u = 48 u

Amount that Rachel had at first
= 48 u
= 48 x 18
= $864

Answer(s): (a) ¹₄₈ ; (b) $864