PSLE
Zara spent ¹₉ of her money on a blouse and 5 sweaters. The blouse cost 3 times as much as each sweater. Zara spent ³₅ of her remaining money on a necklace. She spent $1002 more on the necklace than on the 5 sweaters.
(a) What fraction of Zara's money was spent on each sweater?
(b) How much money did Zara have at first?
(a)
Cost of 1 sweater = 1 u

Cost of 5 sweaters
= 5 x 1 u
= 5 u

Cost of 1 blouse = 3 u

Cost of 1 blouse and 5 sweaters
= 3 u + 5 u
= 8 u

Fraction of Zara's money spent on each sweater
= ¹₈ x ¹₉
= ¹₇₂

(b)
¹₉ of her money = 8 u
⁸₉ of her money = 8 x 8 u = 64 u

Zara's remaining money = 64 u

Cost of the necklace
= ³₅ x 64 u
= 38.4 u

Amount that Zara spent more on the necklace than on the 5 sweaters
= 38.4 u - 5 u
= 33.4 u

33.4 u = 1002

1 u = 1002 ÷ 33.4 = 30

⁹₉ of her money = 9 x 8 u = 72 u

Amount that Zara had at first
= 72 u
= 72 x 30
= $2160

Answer(s): (a) ¹₇₂ ; (b) $2160