Final answer:
The population in the study is all American households, while the sample is the 1,248 households surveyed.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the given survey of 1,248 American households where it was found that 91% own a DVD recorder, the population refers to all American households, as they are the entire group that the study is interested in making conclusions about. The sample, on the other hand, is the 1,248 households that were actually surveyed, which is a subset of the population.