Illinois Roofing Practice Exam

On a standard gable roof, there are two main sloping sides that come together at the top, forming a peak or ridge. Each side of the roof has an edge where the roofing material overhangs the walls, which is referred to as the rake. Given that there are two sides to the gable roof, each side has one rake that extends from the peak down to the edge of the roof. This makes for a total of two rakes.

If we consider additional elements, such as the eaves (the edges of the roof that overhang the building) and the fact that a double-gable structure may have different sections, it's essential to stick to the basic design of a standard gable roof for clarity.

Therefore, the total number of rakes on a standard gable roof is two, corresponding to each side of the roof. The choices regarding one, three, or four rakes stem from misunderstandings about the basic structure of a gable roof. In typical construction understanding, the basic gable form contains only two rakes, affirming the two-rake total as the correct response.