When adding integers with different signs, the rule is to find the difference between their absolute values and use the sign of the integer with the larger absolute value.
For example, if you want to add -5 and 3, you first look at the absolute values, which are 5 and 3. The difference between 5 and 3 is 2, and since -5 has the larger absolute value, the result will be -2. Therefore, -5 + 3 = -2.
This approach helps clarify that when combining a positive and a negative integer, you are essentially subtracting the smaller number from the larger one, which dictates the final sign of the result.