If a gymnast performs an E salto in the first pass and two directly connected saltos, one being a D, what is the deduction?

When determining the deduction for a routine that includes an E salto in the first pass, followed by two directly connected saltos (with one being a D), it's important to understand the value of the elements and the connections involved.

In this case, the gymnast performs an E salto as the first element, which is a high-difficulty element. Following this, the presence of two directly connected saltos allows the routine to retain a higher execution score since the connection is being rewarded by the code of points. Given that no rules regarding deductions are violated by the sequence of elements provided—such as not fulfilling connection requirements or performing sequences that lead to a deduction—the performance can be considered flawless in terms of difficulty and composition.

As no deductions apply for this specific series of skills, it results in no detriment to the overall score. Hence, this leads to a deduction of zero, making this the correct option. The gymnast has successfully performed all elements within the allowable limits without triggering any penalties associated with the skill value or connections.