PSLE
Erika spent ¹₄ of her money on a coat and 5 shirts. The coat cost 3 times as much as each shirt. Erika spent ¹₂ of her remaining money on a bracelet. She spent $168 more on the bracelet than on the 5 shirts.
(a) What fraction of Erika's money was spent on each shirt?
(b) How much money did Erika have at first?
(a)
Cost of 1 shirt = 1 u

Cost of 5 shirts
= 5 x 1 u
= 5 u

Cost of 1 coat = 3 u

Cost of 1 coat and 5 shirts
= 3 u + 5 u
= 8 u

Fraction of Erika's money spent on each shirt
= ¹₈ x ¹₄
= ¹₃₂

(b)
¹₄ of her money = 8 u
³₄ of her money = 3 x 8 u = 24 u

Erika's remaining money = 24 u

Cost of the bracelet
= ¹₂ x 24 u
= 12 u

Amount that Erika spent more on the bracelet than on the 5 shirts
= 12 u - 5 u
= 7 u

7 u = 168

1 u = 168 ÷ 7 = 24

⁴₄ of her money = 4 x 8 u = 32 u

Amount that Erika had at first
= 32 u
= 32 x 24
= $768

Answer(s): (a) ¹₃₂ ; (b) $768