PSLE
Erika spent ¹₇ of her money on a dress and 5 skirts. The dress cost 3 times as much as each skirt. Erika spent ¹₂ of her remaining money on a bracelet. She spent $418 more on the bracelet than on the 5 skirts.
(a) What fraction of Erika's money was spent on each skirt?
(b) How much money did Erika have at first?
(a)
Cost of 1 skirt = 1 u

Cost of 5 skirts
= 5 x 1 u
= 5 u

Cost of 1 dress = 3 u

Cost of 1 dress and 5 skirts
= 3 u + 5 u
= 8 u

Fraction of Erika's money spent on each skirt
= ¹₈ x ¹₇
= ¹₅₆

(b)
¹₇ of her money = 8 u
⁶₇ of her money = 6 x 8 u = 48 u

Erika's remaining money = 48 u

Cost of the bracelet
= ¹₂ x 48 u
= 24 u

Amount that Erika spent more on the bracelet than on the 5 skirts
= 24 u - 5 u
= 19 u

19 u = 418

1 u = 418 ÷ 19 = 22

⁷₇ of her money = 7 x 8 u = 56 u

Amount that Erika had at first
= 56 u
= 56 x 22
= $1232

Answer(s): (a) ¹₅₆ ; (b) $1232