Holly gets some money for her birthday. She buys a pair of jeans, some shoes and a new coat. She spends 20% of her money on some jeans. The coat costs her $21 more than the shoes. The shoes cost $32. She is left with 3/8 of the money that she started with. How much did the jeans cost?
Let M be the money she received
She spends .20M = (1/5)M on jeans
Cost of shoes =32
Cost of coat = 32 + 21 = 53
So
M - (1/5)M - 32 -53 = (3/8)M
(4/5)M - 85 = (3/8)M
(4/5)M - (3/8)M = 85
[ 32 - 15 ] / 40 * M = 85
[17 / 40] M = 85
M = 85 [ 40 / 17 ] = $200
The jeans cost (200)(1/5) = $40