PSLE
Pamela spent ¹₉ of her money on a coat and 3 blouses. The coat cost 2 times as much as each blouse. Pamela spent ¹₂ of her remaining money on a necklace. She spent $374 more on the necklace than on the 3 blouses.
(a) What fraction of Pamela's money was spent on each blouse?
(b) How much money did Pamela have at first?
(a)
Cost of 1 blouse = 1 u

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

Cost of 1 coat = 2 u

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

Fraction of Pamela's money spent on each blouse
= ¹₅ x ¹₉
= ¹₄₅

(b)
¹₉ of her money = 5 u
⁸₉ of her money = 8 x 5 u = 40 u

Pamela's remaining money = 40 u

Cost of the necklace
= ¹₂ x 40 u
= 20 u

Amount that Pamela spent more on the necklace than on the 3 blouses
= 20 u - 3 u
= 17 u

17 u = 374

1 u = 374 ÷ 17 = 22

⁹₉ of her money = 9 x 5 u = 45 u

Amount that Pamela had at first
= 45 u
= 45 x 22
= $990

Answer(s): (a) ¹₄₅ ; (b) $990