Dining Table Cost – P6 RGPS 2024 Term 1 Question Explained

Introduction

This dining table cost question is a classic PSLE Maths word problem that tests fractions, units, and part-whole reasoning. Many students can do the calculation, but lose marks because they do not set up the units correctly at the start. Once you turn the comparison into units, this dining table cost problem becomes simple and structured.

The Question / Scenario Explanation

Source: P6 RGPS 2024 Term 1

Arjun paid \(\$432\) for a dining table and \(4\) identical chairs. The price of each chair was \(\frac{1}{5}\) of the price of the dining table. How much did Arjun pay for the dining table?

Step-by-Step Solution / Explanation

Step 1: Represent the prices using units

Since each chair costs \(\frac{1}{5}\) of the dining table, let the dining table be \(5u\). Then each chair will be \(1u\).

Dining table \(= 5u\)
Each chair \(= 1u\)

This is the key setup for solving the dining table cost correctly.

Step 2: Find the total number of units

There are \(4\) identical chairs, so the total cost of the chairs is:

\(4 \times 1u = 4u\)

Now add the dining table and the \(4\) chairs:

\(5u + 4u = 9u\)

So the total payment of \(\$432\) represents \(9u\).

Step 3: Find the value of 1 unit

If \(9u = 432\), then:

\(1u = 432 \div 9 = 48\)

So, \(1u = \$48\).

Step 4: Find the dining table cost

The dining table is \(5u\), so:

\(5u = 5 \times 48 = 240\)

✅ Final Answer: \(\$240\)

Step 5: Quick check

Each chair costs \(\$48\), so \(4\) chairs cost:

\(4 \times 48 = 192\)

Add the table price:

\(240 + 192 = 432\) ✅

So the dining table cost is confirmed to be correct.

Key Concepts Students Must Know

• In a dining table cost question, a fraction relationship is often best solved using the units method.
• If one chair is \(\frac{1}{5}\) of the dining table, then chair \(= 1u\) and table \(= 5u\).
• Always add all units first before dividing the total amount.
• Part-whole thinking helps students organise multi-item word problems clearly and avoid careless mistakes.

Exam Tips / Common Mistakes

Exam Tips

• Underline the phrase “each chair was \(\frac{1}{5}\) of the price of the dining table”.
• Write the bigger item in units first, then the smaller item.
• Count all items carefully before finding the total units.
• Do a quick check at the end to make sure the table and chairs add up to \(\$432\).

Common Mistakes

• Reversing the relationship and writing the table as \(1u\) instead of \(5u\).
• Forgetting that there are \(4\) chairs, so using \(1u\) instead of \(4u\).
• Dividing \(\$432\) by \(5\) immediately without finding the total number of units first.
• Finding \(1u = 48\) correctly, but forgetting that the dining table cost is \(5u\), not \(1u\).

Parent Insight

This dining table cost problem shows why PSLE Maths is not only about calculation, but also about setting up relationships properly. Many students understand fractions, but still lose marks because they do not translate the sentence into units accurately. With guided practice, children become much faster at spotting the correct comparison and solving similar exam questions with confidence.

Conclusion

For this dining table cost question, we represented the dining table as \(5u\) and the \(4\) chairs as \(4u\). Since \(9u = 432\), we found \(1u = 48\), so the dining table costs \(\$240\). This is a strong example of how the units method makes PSLE Maths word problems much easier to handle.

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