We are to determine if the arithmetic mean of w, x, y, and z is less than 28.
Statement 1: The average (arithmetic mean) of w, x, and y is less than 28.
Clearly statement 1 is not sufficient. The fact that w,x, and y have a mean less than 28 is not sufficient since the fourth number can be very large and push the mean above 28 or it could be small and the mean will remain below 28.
Statement 2: The average (arithmetic mean) of x, y, and z is less than 28.
Also not sufficient. The fact that x,y, and z, three numbers, have a mean less than 28 does not mean that adding the fourth number will not push the mean above 28 or maintain it below 28 since the fourth number could be very large or less than 28.
1+2
Sufficient.
Statement 1 says that the three numbers (i.e. w,x, and y) can each be replaced by a single number that is less than 28. At the same time, statement 2 says the three numbers (i.e. x,y, and z) can each be replaced by a number that is less than 28. Combining both statements we can infer that the four numbers (i.e. x,y, and z) can each be replaced by a number that is less than 28. Hence the mean of the four numbers is less than 28.
The answer is therefore C.