PSLE
Roshel spent ¹₇ of her money on a skirt and 3 blouses. The skirt cost 2 times as much as each blouse. Roshel spent ²₃ of her remaining money on a ring. She spent $221 more on the ring than on the 3 blouses.
(a) What fraction of Roshel's money was spent on each blouse?
(b) How much money did Roshel have at first?
(a)
Cost of 1 blouse = 1 u

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

Cost of 1 skirt = 2 u

Cost of 1 skirt and 3 blouses
= 2 u + 3 u
= 5 u

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

(b)
¹₇ of her money = 5 u
⁶₇ of her money = 6 x 5 u = 30 u

Roshel's remaining money = 30 u

Cost of the ring
= ²₃ x 30 u
= 20 u

Amount that Roshel spent more on the ring than on the 3 blouses
= 20 u - 3 u
= 17 u

17 u = 221

1 u = 221 ÷ 17 = 13

⁷₇ of her money = 7 x 5 u = 35 u

Amount that Roshel had at first
= 35 u
= 35 x 13
= $455

Answer(s): (a) ¹₃₅ ; (b) $455