As described above, potentiometers and rheostats are basically two approaches to the same problem. For both, the end result is the same, i.e. reducing voltage through a circuit. For a 120mm fan, you ...
A rheostat is merely a potentiometer with the third terminal left off, or with the third terminal present, but not used in the hookup. It's used in a circuit as a series resistor (instead of a voltage ...