PSLE
Zoe spent ¹₅ of her money on a coat and 5 blouses. The coat cost 2 times as much as each blouse. Zoe spent ¹₂ of her remaining money on a bracelet. She spent $225 more on the bracelet than on the 5 blouses.
(a) What fraction of Zoe's money was spent on each blouse?
(b) How much money did Zoe have at first?
(a)
Cost of 1 blouse = 1 u

Cost of 5 blouses
= 5 x 1 u
= 5 u

Cost of 1 coat = 2 u

Cost of 1 coat and 5 blouses
= 2 u + 5 u
= 7 u

Fraction of Zoe's money spent on each blouse
= ¹₇ x ¹₅
= ¹₃₅

(b)
¹₅ of her money = 7 u
⁴₅ of her money = 4 x 7 u = 28 u

Zoe's remaining money = 28 u

Cost of the bracelet
= ¹₂ x 28 u
= 14 u

Amount that Zoe spent more on the bracelet than on the 5 blouses
= 14 u - 5 u
= 9 u

9 u = 225

1 u = 225 ÷ 9 = 25

⁵₅ of her money = 5 x 7 u = 35 u

Amount that Zoe had at first
= 35 u
= 35 x 25
= $875

Answer(s): (a) ¹₃₅ ; (b) $875