Matching Signs

This worksheet gives students focused practice with one of the easiest and most important integer-addition patterns: adding numbers that have the same sign. Students work with pairs such as 4 + 7, -3 + (-8), 12 + 5, -15 + (-4), and -34 + (-29). The directions remind students that when both integers have the same sign, they add the absolute values and keep the common sign. Because the worksheet concentrates on this one rule, students can practice it enough times for the pattern to become familiar before they move on to harder mixed-sign problems.

For a parent who may not remember integer rules, this is one of the simplest concepts to explain. If both numbers are positive, just add them like ordinary whole numbers. If both numbers are negative, add their sizes and keep the negative sign. So 4 + 7 = 11, while -4 + (-7) = -11. A useful everyday comparison is money: two deposits make your balance go up, while two debts make what you owe larger. The arithmetic part is the same-the sign tells you the direction.

Learning Goals

• Add Same-Sign Integers: Students practice positive-plus-positive and negative-plus-negative problems.
• Use Absolute Value Correctly: Learners add the sizes of the integers without letting the signs interfere with the basic arithmetic.
• Keep the Common Sign: Students learn that two negative addends produce a negative sum and two positive addends produce a positive sum.
• Build Fluency With Larger Integers: Problems gradually include larger values so students become comfortable beyond single-digit numbers.

Why This Skill Matters

• It Is the Foundation for Integer Addition: Same-sign addition is the easiest rule and gives students a strong starting point.
• It Makes Harder Problems Less Scary: Once this pattern is automatic, students can focus their attention on the more difficult opposite-sign cases.
• It Strengthens Number Sense: Students begin noticing that adding two negative numbers moves farther below zero.
• It Connects Naturally to Real Life: Two losses, two drops in temperature, or two debts can all be represented by adding negative integers.

Parent-Friendly Explanation

A very simple script is: “If the signs match, add the numbers and keep the sign.” For example, -11 + (-7) means the two negatives are working in the same direction. Add 11 + 7 to get 18, then keep the negative sign: -18. There is no need to make the explanation more complicated than that at this stage.

Classroom & Home Use

• Good for Skill Building: Repeated same-sign practice helps the rule stick.
• Useful for Struggling Students: Focusing on one type of integer addition prevents too many rules from being mixed together at once.
• Easy to Check: Parents can verify the basic addition first and then ask whether the sign was kept correctly.
• Works Well Before Mixed-Sign Lessons: This worksheet is an ideal bridge between whole-number addition and more advanced integer operations.
• Strong for Independent Practice: Once students understand the rule, they can complete the page with very little support.

The main value of this worksheet is that it gives students a dependable win with integers. Same signs, absolute value, addition, negative numbers, positive numbers, and magnitude all work together in a very predictable pattern. For parents, the key is not to overwhelm the child with every integer rule at once. On this worksheet, the rule is simple: same signs mean add and keep the sign. Building confidence with that one pattern makes the next stage-adding integers with opposite signs-much easier to understand.