Which of the following did you include in your description? Check all of the boxes that apply.

Let the smallest even integer be x; the next two are x + 2 and x + 4. Their sum is x + (x + 2) + (x + 4) = −78, which simplifies to 3x + 6 = −78. Subtracting 6 and dividing by 3 gives x = −28, so the integers are −28, −26, and −24; their sum is −78. Thus each listed step applies.

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