Final answer:
Ragtime music is an American genre combining European hymns and the blues, featuring syncopated rhythms and a strong beat. Influenced by African American spirituals and European folk music, Scott Joplin popularized ragtime, which subsequently influenced the development of jazz.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ragtime music is a distinctly American genre that emerged towards the end of the 19th century, characterized by its syncopated, or "ragged", rhythm. Ragtime music combined musical elements from various backgrounds. It was influenced by African American spirituals, European American folk music, and the vibrant atmosphere of the red-light districts and interracial dance halls in the South. The correct answer to the student's question about the elements combined in Ragtime music is European hymns and the blues.
Work songs and spiritual tunes crafted by both enslaved and free African Americans played a significant role in shaping the music. These influences were then integrated with European hymnody, among other European musical traditions. Scott Joplin, the most famous composer and performer of the era, helped popularize ragtime and pave the way for the future of American music. Ragtime's rhythmic features and its propensity for improvisation directly influenced the development of early jazz.