You can switch the < block to external input using its right click menu.
...but do I need to?
No you do not need to do it 
Below you can see different ways to arrange blocks using either external inputs or inline inputs but all do the same calculation
That third example: I collapse block but it leaves a jagged end
Cause you only collapsed when clock block, if you also collapse math block the result will be ... as shown in image. But there is no problem on how blocks are arranged , do you have any other problem with your code ?
Collapsing internal blocks has caused trouble to people in the past.
I would avoid it.
Collapsing the entire procedure or event block has always been safe.