PSLE
Cathy spent ¹₉ of her money on a sweater and 3 blouses. The sweater cost 2 times as much as each blouse. Cathy spent ²₅ of her remaining money on a ring. She spent $195 more on the ring than on the 3 blouses.
(a) What fraction of Cathy's money was spent on each blouse?
(b) How much money did Cathy have at first?
(a)
Cost of 1 blouse = 1 u

Cost of 3 blouses
= 3 x 1 u
= 3 u

Cost of 1 sweater = 2 u

Cost of 1 sweater and 3 blouses
= 2 u + 3 u
= 5 u

Fraction of Cathy's money spent on each blouse
= ¹₅ x ¹₉
= ¹₄₅

(b)
¹₉ of her money = 5 u
⁸₉ of her money = 8 x 5 u = 40 u

Cathy's remaining money = 40 u

Cost of the ring
= ²₅ x 40 u
= 16 u

Amount that Cathy spent more on the ring than on the 3 blouses
= 16 u - 3 u
= 13 u

13 u = 195

1 u = 195 ÷ 13 = 15

⁹₉ of her money = 9 x 5 u = 45 u

Amount that Cathy had at first
= 45 u
= 45 x 15
= $675

Answer(s): (a) ¹₄₅ ; (b) $675