Step 1 :Given that the total number of surveys sent is 2310 and the number of returned surveys is 1150.
Step 2 :The best point estimate of the population proportion p is the sample proportion, which is the number of successes (returned surveys) divided by the number of trials (total surveys sent). This can be calculated as \(p = \frac{x}{n} = \frac{1150}{2310} = 0.498\).
Step 3 :The margin of error E can be calculated using the formula for the confidence interval for a proportion, which is \(E = z \sqrt{\frac{p(1-p)}{n}}\), where z is the z-score corresponding to the desired confidence level, p is the sample proportion, and n is the sample size.
Step 4 :Substituting the given values into the formula, we get \(E = 1.96 \sqrt{\frac{0.498(1-0.498)}{2310}} = 0.020\).
Step 5 :\(\boxed{\text{Final Answer: }}\) a) The best point estimate of the population proportion p is \(\boxed{0.498}\). b) The margin of error E is \(\boxed{0.020}\).