The sum of a negative number and a positive number is sometimes negative.
This occurs when the absolute value of the negative number is greater than the positive number. For example, if you have -5 (negative) and +3 (positive), their sum (-5 + 3) is -2, which is negative.
However, if the positive number is greater in absolute value than the negative number, the sum can be positive. For example, if you have -3 (negative) and +5 (positive), their sum (-3 + 5) is +2, which is positive.
So, the result depends on the specific numbers involved.