PSLE
Cindy spent ¹₇ of her money on a blazer and 3 coats. The blazer cost 3 times as much as each coat. Cindy spent ¹₄ of her remaining money on a ring. She spent $162 more on the ring than on the 3 coats.
(a) What fraction of Cindy's money was spent on each coat?
(b) How much money did Cindy have at first?
(a)
Cost of 1 coat = 1 u

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

Cost of 1 blazer = 3 u

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

Fraction of Cindy's money spent on each coat
= ¹₆ x ¹₇
= ¹₄₂

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

Cindy's remaining money = 36 u

Cost of the ring
= ¹₄ x 36 u
= 9 u

Amount that Cindy spent more on the ring than on the 3 coats
= 9 u - 3 u
= 6 u

6 u = 162

1 u = 162 ÷ 6 = 27

⁷₇ of her money = 7 x 6 u = 42 u

Amount that Cindy had at first
= 42 u
= 42 x 27
= $1134

Answer(s): (a) ¹₄₂ ; (b) $1134