PSLE
Emma spent ¹₅ of her money on a sweater and 3 blouses. The sweater cost 2 times as much as each blouse. Emma spent ³₈ of her remaining money on a ring. She spent $90 more on the ring than on the 3 blouses.
(a) What fraction of Emma's money was spent on each blouse?
(b) How much money did Emma 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 Emma's money spent on each blouse
= ¹₅ x ¹₅
= ¹₂₅

(b)
¹₅ of her money = 5 u
⁴₅ of her money = 4 x 5 u = 20 u

Emma's remaining money = 20 u

Cost of the ring
= ³₈ x 20 u
= 7.5 u

Amount that Emma spent more on the ring than on the 3 blouses
= 7.5 u - 3 u
= 4.5 u

4.5 u = 90

1 u = 90 ÷ 4.5 = 20

⁵₅ of her money = 5 x 5 u = 25 u

Amount that Emma had at first
= 25 u
= 25 x 20
= $500

Answer(s): (a) ¹₂₅ ; (b) $500