Answer:
Correct choice: a. The null hypothesis is rejected.
Step-by-step explanation:
Utilizing a statistical hypothesis test for comparing means can help ascertain if the average duration that families in Gotham have lived in their homes is shorter than that of families in Metropolis.
The hypothesis is:
H₀: The average duration of residence for families in Gotham is not shorter than that of families in Metropolis, meaning μ₁ ≥ μ₂.
Hₐ: The average duration of residence for families in Gotham is shorter than that of families in Metropolis, meaning μ₁ < μ₂.
Provided:

Assuming the significance level of the test is α = 0.10.
The calculated statistic is:

Here, s
refers to the pooled standard deviation.
Calculate s
as follows:

Determine the value of the test statistic as follows:

The result for the test statistic is -5.654.
The critical value for the test is, 
*Refer to a t-table for the necessary value.
*The negative value denotes that this is a left-tailed test.
*Since the table lacks an entry for 248 degrees of freedom, use the closest larger value available.
Decision rule:
If the test statistic is lower than the critical value, the null hypothesis is dismissed.
Test statistic = -5.654 < Critical t = -1.282.
Therefore, the null hypothesis is rejected.