Kaplan Nursing Entrance Practice Exam

What is the expression for six less than the product of two numbers, m and n?

1. mn + 6

2. 6 - mn

3. mn - 6

4. m + n - 6

The correct answer is: mn - 6

The expression for "six less than the product of two numbers, m and n" is represented by taking the product of m and n, which is mn, and then subtracting six from that product. This can be articulated mathematically as follows: if you first calculate the product (mn), and then you reduce that result by six, you arrive at the expression mn - 6. This accurately captures the idea of subtracting six from whatever the product of m and n is. In this scenario, the other options do not accurately reflect this requirement. For instance, the option that suggests adding six changes the context of "less than," which specifies a subtraction. Additionally, there are expressions that confuse the relationship between m and n with addition or incorrectly order the terms. Thus, the expression mn - 6 is the correct representation of the stated concept.