A research paper stated that graduates in Malaysia have the fourth lowest salary expectations in the Asia-Pacific

(APAC) region. The survey also found that female graduates have lower salary expectations as compared to their male counterparts. While 50 female business graduates in Malaysia expected an average annual salary of MYR39,152 (€8,477.56), 65 male business graduates expected an average annual salary of MYR42,103.33 (€9,116.61). The sample standard deviations were MYR45.60 (€9.07) and MRY23.25

(€4.62), respectively. Assume that the annual salary is normally distributed. (Note: Malaysian Ringgit is the currency of Malaysia and the abbreviation is MYR.)

a. Determine the point estimate for the difference in expected average annual salary between the female and male graduates.

b. If the population variances are equal, determine the sample pooled standard deviation.

c. Based on the answers in parts a and

b, construct a 90% confidence interval for the difference in expected average annual salary between the female and male graduates.

d. Considering the interval in part

c, would you agree that the male graduates would expect their average annual salary to be MYR2,500 (€497.16) more than the female graduates?

e. Reconstruct the 90% confidence interval by assuming the population variances were not equal.

Compare your findings for parts c and e.