PSLE
Shannon spent ¹₅ of her money on a blouse and 3 jumpsuits. The blouse cost 2 times as much as each jumpsuit. Shannon spent ³₄ of her remaining money on a necklace. She spent $168 more on the necklace than on the 3 jumpsuits.
(a) What fraction of Shannon's money was spent on each jumpsuit?
(b) How much money did Shannon have at first?
(a)
Cost of 1 jumpsuit = 1 u

Cost of 3 jumpsuits
= 3 x 1 u
= 3 u

Cost of 1 blouse = 2 u

Cost of 1 blouse and 3 jumpsuits
= 2 u + 3 u
= 5 u

Fraction of Shannon's money spent on each jumpsuit
= ¹₅ x ¹₅
= ¹₂₅

(b)
¹₅ of her money = 5 u
⁴₅ of her money = 4 x 5 u = 20 u

Shannon's remaining money = 20 u

Cost of the necklace
= ³₄ x 20 u
= 15 u

Amount that Shannon spent more on the necklace than on the 3 jumpsuits
= 15 u - 3 u
= 12 u

12 u = 168

1 u = 168 ÷ 12 = 14

⁵₅ of her money = 5 x 5 u = 25 u

Amount that Shannon had at first
= 25 u
= 25 x 14
= $350

Answer(s): (a) ¹₂₅ ; (b) $350