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what does 'x' mean when an attribute is 18/xx

It's kind of a percentage. The higher the number the better, except that 18/00 is the best as it's actually 18/100

Think of it as the highest a normal person can have is 18, but a person that specifically trains for some fighting event or what not surpasses the strength scores of the average person. The xx number is basically the strength ranking among other fighters.

I do believe that the higher xx improves your THAC0 and to hit, but that's about it. I'm not sure however.

Take a look at the tables in the back of your manual.

18/xx

fighters in AD&D only really need STR15 to be effective - Jaheira has that, I think. STR 18 is the most stregth any human can have BUT for RPG, some people who train as fighters can develop themselves beyond usual human norms and whilst non-fighters have 18 as the max, human fighters have an additional component - the xx part. in PnP, it used to be rolled using percentage dice and there were bands into which the % went with increasing benefits as you neared 18/00 i.e. 18 and 100% extra power.

I can't recall the exact boundaries and details but it is something like the following - you get plus to hit, plus to damage and % chance of forcing open locks the weight allowance also depends on the % - I think the table is kicking around somewhere:

the first part - 18/01-18/45 +1 to hit, +1 damage - force open locks 40%
second part 18/46-18/74 +2 to hit +2 damage - open locks 50%
third part 18/75 -18/99 +3 to hit +3 damage - open locks 60%
fourth - and rarest - 18/00 +3 to hit +5 damage - open locks 75% (think this allows 500 weight units of equipment)

so it makes a considerable difference how good the % is - an 18/96 is probably worth 2 skill points over an 18/21 when deciding on character generation.

please note that my figures are largely illustrative and you should check the details.