Final answer:
The 'what' and 'where' in the human auditory system refer to the analysis of complex sounds and the localization of a sound, respectively. Pitch perception involves both the rate of hair cell firing and their location, while sound localization uses monaural and binaural cues.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the human auditory system, the analysis of "what" corresponds to the perception of complex sounds, while the analysis of "where" refers to determining the location of a sound. Hence, the correct answer to the student's question is 1) complex sounds, location of a sound. When it comes to pitch perception, both the firing rate of the hair cells and their location on the basilar membrane contribute to our understanding of pitch. For sound localization, monaural and binaural cues are used to pinpoint the origin of sounds in the environment.
Furthermore, timbre, which is the tone quality or color of a sound, is a more subjective aspect that is influenced by the interplay of frequency, amplitude, and timing of sound waves. Distinct instruments playing the same note can be differentiated because of their unique timbre.