Understanding Pot Values

[MannequinRaces]

Quick ignorant question; when I am looking at potentiometer values I'm guessing with a 10k pot, the 10k value is at the pots fullest and the in-between is just lower values?  Thanks from a newbie!

[John Lyons]

Yes, you got it. The total resistance is what the pot is marked.
When the pot is turned half way up (assuming it's a 10K pot)
then the wiper (lug2) is 5K away from one side and 5K away
from the other side. This is called a voltage divider.
Drawn out it look like two resistors on top of each other
vertically with the wiper as the middle point.

john

[MannequinRaces]

Yes, you got it. The total resistance is what the pot is marked.
When the pot is turned half way up (assuming it's a 10K pot)
then the wiper (lug2) is 5K away from one side and 5K away
from the other side. This is called a voltage divider.
Drawn out it look like two resistors on top of each other
vertically with the wiper as the middle point.

john

Excellent answer!  Thanks John.