A part of monthly hostel charges is fixed and the remaining depends on the number of days one has taken food in the mess. When Bhawana takes food for 20 days, she has to pay ₹2600 as hostel charges; whereas when Divya takes food for 26 days, she pays ₹3020 as hostel charges. Find the fixed charges and the cost of food per day.

Let fixed charge be ₹x and per day food charge be ₹y.

Given, Bhawana pays ₹2600 when she takes food for 20 days.

x + 20y = 2600 …….(i)

Given, Divya pays ₹3020 when she takes food for 26 days.

x + 26y = 3020 …….(ii)

Subtracting (i) from (ii) we get,

(x + 26y) - (x + 20y) = 3020 - 2600
6y = 420
y = 70.

Substituting value of y in (i) we get,

x + 20(70) = 2600

x + 1400 = 2600

x = 1200.

Hence, fixed charge = ₹1200 and the cost of food per day = ₹70.