PSLE
Hazel spent ¹₈ of her money on a blazer and 2 skirts. The blazer cost 2 times as much as each skirt. Hazel spent ³₈ of her remaining money on a necklace. She spent $161.5 more on the necklace than on the 2 skirts.
(a) What fraction of Hazel's money was spent on each skirt?
(b) How much money did Hazel have at first?
(a)
Cost of 1 skirt = 1 u

Cost of 2 skirts
= 2 x 1 u
= 2 u

Cost of 1 blazer = 2 u

Cost of 1 blazer and 2 skirts
= 2 u + 2 u
= 4 u

Fraction of Hazel's money spent on each skirt
= ¹₄ x ¹₈
= ¹₃₂

(b)
¹₈ of her money = 4 u
⁷₈ of her money = 7 x 4 u = 28 u

Hazel's remaining money = 28 u

Cost of the necklace
= ³₈ x 28 u
= 10.5 u

Amount that Hazel spent more on the necklace than on the 2 skirts
= 10.5 u - 2 u
= 8.5 u

8.5 u = 161.5

1 u = 161.5 ÷ 8.5 = 19

⁸₈ of her money = 8 x 4 u = 32 u

Amount that Hazel had at first
= 32 u
= 32 x 19
= $608

Answer(s): (a) ¹₃₂ ; (b) $608