Hi,
I think the question allows for the possibility that some students get BOTH inflammation AND fever.
There are 1000 total students.
Statement 1: 880 have neither inflammation nor fever. This means that the number that either
1) Have fever only
2) Have inflammation only
OR
3) Have BOTH fever and inflammation
is 1000 - 880 = 120
Statement 2: 20 have fever.
This means that the sum of those who
1) Have fever only
OR
3) Have BOTH fever and inflammation
is 20
Together, the statements tell us that 1) + 2) + 3) = 120, and that 1) + 3) = 20. Therefore, 2), the number of people that get inflammation but not fever, is 120 - 20 = 100. The answer is C.
Note that we don't know how many fall in category 1), fever only, or in category 3), BOTH fever and inflammation. We just know that the sum of those groups is 100.