Farid and Lena were paid a total of $2580 for planting trees in a park. Farid was paid $1380 more than Lena.
- How much was Lena paid for the job?
- Farid and Lena were paid based on the number of days they worked. Farid worked 3 times as many days as Lena. Farid was paid $4 more than Lena per day. How many days did Lena work?
Need a hint?
In (a), take away the difference first, then share what is left equally. In (b), find what Farid would earn at Lena's daily pay and see how much extra he really earned.
Worked answer
- (a) Take away the extra from the total: $2580 - $1380 = $1200. This is 2 equal shares of Lena's pay.
- (a) Lena's pay = $1200 ÷ 2 = $600. Farid's pay = $600 + $1380 = $1980.
- (b) If Farid had worked 3 times Lena's days at Lena's daily pay, he would get 3 × $600 = $1800.
- (b) He really got $1980, so the extra is $1980 - $1800 = $180. This extra comes from the $4 more per day.
- (b) Farid's days = $180 ÷ $4 = 45 days.
- (b) Lena's days = 45 ÷ 3 = 15 days.
The mistake this question tests
Calculation slip
Many pupils divide $2580 by 2 to get $1290 for Lena, forgetting that the two amounts are not equal. In (b) some stop at 45, which is Farid's number of days, not Lena's.
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See the answer →Practise PSLE ratio until the mistakes stop.
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