What is the function of a splitter in a cable system?

A splitter in a cable system serves the essential function of dividing a single cable signal into multiple outputs. This allows one incoming signal from the cable line to be distributed among several devices, such as televisions or cable boxes. By doing so, a single source can effectively serve multiple endpoints, providing flexibility in how the cable service is used throughout a home or office.

This capability is particularly important in settings where users want to access the same service in different rooms or on different devices without needing multiple separate connections to the cable source. The design of a splitter ensures that the signal remains usable across the outputs, although there may be some attenuation of the signal strength, which is a normal characteristic of splitting a signal.

The other options describe functions that do not align with the purpose of a splitter. For instance, amplifying a signal would entail boosting it rather than dividing it, while converting digital to analog is a process related to signal compatibility, not distribution. Additionally, connecting multiple devices to a power source involves a completely different type of equipment unrelated to signal splitting. Thus, the function of dividing a signal is what establishes why the correct answer is the appropriate choice in this context.