Question: Which expression means "15 less than an unknown number"?
15 - x
x - 15
x + 15
x/15
1. The problem asks us to find the expression that means "15 less than an unknown number."
2. Let the unknown number be represented by the variable $x$.
3. "15 less than an unknown number" means we start with the unknown number $x$ and subtract 15 from it.
4. The correct expression is therefore:
$$x - 15$$
5. The other options mean:
- $15 - x$: 15 minus the unknown number (not "15 less than" but "15 minus")
- $x + 15$: 15 more than the unknown number
- $\frac{x}{15}$: the unknown number divided by 15
6. Hence, the answer is $x - 15$.