PSLE
Irene spent ¹₆ of her money on a blouse and 4 sweaters. The blouse cost 2 times as much as each sweater. Irene spent ¹₂ of her remaining money on a ring. She spent $110 more on the ring than on the 4 sweaters.
(a) What fraction of Irene's money was spent on each sweater?
(b) How much money did Irene have at first?
(a)
Cost of 1 sweater = 1 u

Cost of 4 sweaters
= 4 x 1 u
= 4 u

Cost of 1 blouse = 2 u

Cost of 1 blouse and 4 sweaters
= 2 u + 4 u
= 6 u

Fraction of Irene's money spent on each sweater
= ¹₆ x ¹₆
= ¹₃₆

(b)
¹₆ of her money = 6 u
⁵₆ of her money = 5 x 6 u = 30 u

Irene's remaining money = 30 u

Cost of the ring
= ¹₂ x 30 u
= 15 u

Amount that Irene spent more on the ring than on the 4 sweaters
= 15 u - 4 u
= 11 u

11 u = 110

1 u = 110 ÷ 11 = 10

⁶₆ of her money = 6 x 6 u = 36 u

Amount that Irene had at first
= 36 u
= 36 x 10
= $360

Answer(s): (a) ¹₃₆ ; (b) $360