PSLE
Mary spent ¹₄ of her money on a blazer and 3 sweaters. The blazer cost 3 times as much as each sweater. Mary spent ²₅ of her remaining money on a bracelet. She spent $117.6 more on the bracelet than on the 3 sweaters.
(a) What fraction of Mary's money was spent on each sweater?
(b) How much money did Mary have at first?
(a)
Cost of 1 sweater = 1 u

Cost of 3 sweaters
= 3 x 1 u
= 3 u

Cost of 1 blazer = 3 u

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

Fraction of Mary's money spent on each sweater
= ¹₆ x ¹₄
= ¹₂₄

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

Mary's remaining money = 18 u

Cost of the bracelet
= ²₅ x 18 u
= 7.2 u

Amount that Mary spent more on the bracelet than on the 3 sweaters
= 7.2 u - 3 u
= 4.2 u

4.2 u = 117.6

1 u = 117.6 ÷ 4.2 = 28

⁴₄ of her money = 4 x 6 u = 24 u

Amount that Mary had at first
= 24 u
= 24 x 28
= $672

Answer(s): (a) ¹₂₄ ; (b) $672