Final answer:
The ukulele descended from a Portuguese instrument known as the 'Machete'. The correct answer to the question is closest to option b) Guitar since 'Machete' is not listed. The Banjo, Lute, and Mandolin are different instruments with distinct origins.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ukulele descended from an instrument called a 'Machete', which was brought to the islands by sailors visiting Hawaii from Portugal. Although the question options do not include the exact term 'Machete', the closest option provided is b) Guitar. The four-stringed Portuguese machete closely resembles the modern ukulele in size and tuning. When the Portuguese immigrants arrived in Hawaii, they brought their instrument with them, and the native Hawaiians adapted it into the ukulele we know today. This instrument should not be confused with the Banjo,which has African origins, or with plucked string instruments from Europe such as the Lute and the Mandolin.