Final answer:
The cranial nerve associated with hearing is the vestibulocochlear nerve (cranial nerve VIII), which transmits auditory information from the ears to the brain.
Step-by-step explanation:
The cranial nerve associated with audition is the vestibulocochlear nerve, which is designated as cranial nerve VIII. This nerve is primarily responsible for transmitting auditory and equilibrium information from the ear to the brain. Specifically, the sensory pathway for hearing travels along this nerve to synapse with neurons in the cochlear nuclei of the superior medulla. Within the brain stem, input from either ear can be combined to determine the location of sounds by comparing the auditory stimuli that reach both ears.