Final answer:
Hubs and repeaters operate at the Physical layer (layer 1) of the OSI model, which is concerned with the electrical and physical aspects of data transmission.
Step-by-step explanation:
OSI Model: Hubs and Repeaters
Hubs and repeaters operate at the Physical layer of the OSI model. The OSI model, which stands for Open Systems Interconnection model, is a conceptual framework used to understand and implement standards for network communication. The Physical layer, being layer 1, is responsible for the transmission and reception of unstructured raw data between a device and a physical transmission medium. Hubs and repeaters work at this layer because they are concerned with transmitting electrical, optical, or radio signals; they do not interpret any data or read any frames or packets. Hubs broadcast incoming data to all ports, and repeaters regenerate and amplify signals to extend the distance over which data can be transmitted.
Therefore, the answer to the student's question is 1) Physical layer, as this is where hubs and repeaters function, dealing with the bit-level transmission.