Understanding that engineers have to adapt to this English-unit culture, the engineer keeps important numbers in mind, or at least nearby. 62.4 is one of those numbers.

62.4 is the number of pounds in one cubic foot of water, or its density. The engineers will point out that this density, of course, is dependent on the atmospheric pressure and the temperature of the water. The density of water at standard atmospheric pressure drops to 62.00 pounds per cubic foot of water at 100 degrees F, and down to right around 60 when water is about to boil.

The engineer will need this number in many circumstances when dealing with water – strength of structures holding water, pressure at depths, storage of water, and all kinds of neat applications.

If you are a non-engineer and you are, say, driving by a dam that is releasing water at a rate of X cfm (cubic feet per minute), you can then know how much that water weighs. And then, your life will be just a little more fulfilled.

Trust me, I am an engineer.