PSLE
Nora spent ¹₈ of her money on a windbreaker and 3 blouses. The windbreaker cost 3 times as much as each blouse. Nora spent ¹₃ of her remaining money on a ring. She spent $187 more on the ring than on the 3 blouses.
(a) What fraction of Nora's money was spent on each blouse?
(b) How much money did Nora have at first?
(a)
Cost of 1 blouse = 1 u

Cost of 3 blouses
= 3 x 1 u
= 3 u

Cost of 1 windbreaker = 3 u

Cost of 1 windbreaker and 3 blouses
= 3 u + 3 u
= 6 u

Fraction of Nora'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

Nora's remaining money = 42 u

Cost of the ring
= ¹₃ x 42 u
= 14 u

Amount that Nora spent more on the ring than on the 3 blouses
= 14 u - 3 u
= 11 u

11 u = 187

1 u = 187 ÷ 11 = 17

⁸₈ of her money = 8 x 6 u = 48 u

Amount that Nora had at first
= 48 u
= 48 x 17
= $816

Answer(s): (a) ¹₄₈ ; (b) $816