PSLE
Jean spent ¹₄ of her money on a dress and 3 blouses. The dress cost 3 times as much as each blouse. Jean spent ⁴₅ of her remaining money on a bracelet. She spent $342 more on the bracelet than on the 3 blouses.
(a) What fraction of Jean's money was spent on each blouse?
(b) How much money did Jean have at first?
(a)
Cost of 1 blouse = 1 u

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

Cost of 1 dress = 3 u

Cost of 1 dress and 3 blouses
= 3 u + 3 u
= 6 u

Fraction of Jean's money spent on each blouse
= ¹₆ x ¹₄
= ¹₂₄

(b)
¹₄ of her money = 6 u
³₄ of her money = 3 x 6 u = 18 u

Jean's remaining money = 18 u

Cost of the bracelet
= ⁴₅ x 18 u
= 14.4 u

Amount that Jean spent more on the bracelet than on the 3 blouses
= 14.4 u - 3 u
= 11.4 u

11.4 u = 342

1 u = 342 ÷ 11.4 = 30

⁴₄ of her money = 4 x 6 u = 24 u

Amount that Jean had at first
= 24 u
= 24 x 30
= $720

Answer(s): (a) ¹₂₄ ; (b) $720