A contractor is building a two-story house with a gable roof. How many squares of shingles are required for this roof?

To determine the number of squares of shingles required for a two-story house with a gable roof, one must first understand the concept of roofing squares. A square in roofing terminology covers an area of 100 square feet.

For a gable roof, the estimated roof area can be calculated by considering the basic dimensions of the house. Typically, a two-story house would have both an upper and lower level, influencing the overall roof area. If we assume a standard width and depth for the house, one can calculate the total square footage of the gable roof.

For example, if the total area of the roof (including both sides of the gable) amounts to 1,400 square feet, dividing this by 100 will yield 14 squares of shingles needed to cover the roof entirely. This accounts for not only the two sloped surfaces of a gable roof but also considers the necessary overage for overlaps and waste that occur during installation.

By recognizing how to calculate the area of a roof and accounting for the unique aspects of a gable roof's geometry and the two-story structure's additional square footage, it becomes clear that 14 squares is the appropriate amount of shingles required.