PSLE
Usha and Pierre bought pillows at the prices shown below.

2 Large pillows for $14
3 Small pillows for $8

1. Usha bought an equal number of large and small pillows. She spent $52 more on the large ones. How many pillows did she buy altogether?
2. Pierre spent an equal amount of money on the large and small pillows. What fraction of the pillows he bought were small?

(a)
Number of large and small pillows that Usha bought is the same. Make the number of large and small pillows the same. LCM of 2 and 3 is 6.

Cost of 2 large pillows = $14
Cost of 6 large pillows = 3 x 14 = $42

Cost of 3 small pillows = $8
Cost of 6 small pillows = 2 x 8 = $16

Difference in the cost of buying 6 small pillows and 6 large pillows
= 42 - 16
= $26

Number of sets of pillows
= 52 ÷ 26
= 2

Number of pillows that Usha bought
= 2 x 2 x 6
= 24

(b)
Pierre spent an equal amount of money on the large and small pillows. Make the amount of money spent on the large and small pillows the same.
LCM of 14 and 8 is 56.

Number of large pillows that Pierre bought
= 2 x (56 ÷ 14)
= 2 x 4
= 8

Number of the small pillows that Pierre bought
= 3 x (56 ÷ 8)
= 3 x 7
= 21

Fraction of the pillows that Pierre bought that were small
= ²¹_{8 + 21}
= ²¹₂₉

Answer(s): (a) 24; (b) ²¹₂₉