PSLE
Penelope spent ¹₆ of her money on a coat and 4 dresses. The coat cost 2 times as much as each dress. Penelope spent ¹₂ of her remaining money on a bracelet. She spent $143 more on the bracelet than on the 4 dresses.
(a) What fraction of Penelope's money was spent on each dress?
(b) How much money did Penelope have at first?
(a)
Cost of 1 dress = 1 u

Cost of 4 dresses
= 4 x 1 u
= 4 u

Cost of 1 coat = 2 u

Cost of 1 coat and 4 dresses
= 2 u + 4 u
= 6 u

Fraction of Penelope's money spent on each dress
= ¹₆ x ¹₆
= ¹₃₆

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

Penelope's remaining money = 30 u

Cost of the bracelet
= ¹₂ x 30 u
= 15 u

Amount that Penelope spent more on the bracelet than on the 4 dresses
= 15 u - 4 u
= 11 u

11 u = 143

1 u = 143 ÷ 11 = 13

⁶₆ of her money = 6 x 6 u = 36 u

Amount that Penelope had at first
= 36 u
= 36 x 13
= $468

Answer(s): (a) ¹₃₆ ; (b) $468