Potentiometer, is a measuring instrument which is used to measure electric potential or we can say voltage. It is also act as a voltage divider.
It is a three terminal resistor, if only two terminals are used than it acts as a variable resistor or rheostat. If the contact is placed at the center of its adjustment and the total resistance is 5KOhms, the resistance between each end terminal and adjustable contact is 1/2 x 5 = 2.5kohms because the resistance from either end is equal and equal to half the end to end resistance.
