PSLE
Zara spent ¹₈ of her money on a dress and 4 coats. The dress cost 3 times as much as each coat. Zara spent ²₇ of her remaining money on a bracelet. She spent $100 more on the bracelet than on the 4 coats.
(a) What fraction of Zara's money was spent on each coat?
(b) How much money did Zara have at first?
(a)
Cost of 1 coat = 1 u

Cost of 4 coats
= 4 x 1 u
= 4 u

Cost of 1 dress = 3 u

Cost of 1 dress and 4 coats
= 3 u + 4 u
= 7 u

Fraction of Zara's money spent on each coat
= ¹₇ x ¹₈
= ¹₅₆

(b)
¹₈ of her money = 7 u
⁷₈ of her money = 7 x 7 u = 49 u

Zara's remaining money = 49 u

Cost of the bracelet
= ²₇ x 49 u
= 14 u

Amount that Zara spent more on the bracelet than on the 4 coats
= 14 u - 4 u
= 10 u

10 u = 100

1 u = 100 ÷ 10 = 10

⁸₈ of her money = 8 x 7 u = 56 u

Amount that Zara had at first
= 56 u
= 56 x 10
= $560

Answer(s): (a) ¹₅₆ ; (b) $560