Final answer:
The Himalayas matched with 'continental - continental', the Andes with 'near an active continental margin', the Aleutians with 'oceanic-oceanic', and the North American Cordillera with 'terrane accretion'. These matches are based on the tectonic settings that led to the formation of each mountain range.
Step-by-step explanation:
The formation of mountain ranges is typically associated with certain types of plate boundaries and tectonic activities. The matching of the given mountains with the descriptions of their formations is as follows:
- Himalayas: continental - continental (a)
- Andes: near an active continental margin (b)
- Aleutians: oceanic-oceanic (d)
- North American Cordillera: terrane accretion (c)
The Himalayas formed due to the collision between the Indian and Eurasian plates, which are both continental plates, creating a continental-continental convergent boundary. The Andes are located along an active continental margin where the oceanic Nazca Plate subducts under the South American Plate. The Aleutians are a result of an oceanic-oceanic convergent boundary where one oceanic plate subducts under another. The North American Cordillera, including ranges like the Rockies and the Sierra Nevada, is the result of terrane accretion, where fragments of crust have accreted onto the continental margin over time.