Step 1 :Let the width be represented by \(x\), the length by \(y\), and the height by \(h\).
Step 2 :Since the length is three times the width, we have \(y = 3x\).
Step 3 :The volume equation is \(V = x * y * h = 7200\).
Step 4 :Substitute \(y = 3x\) into the volume equation: \(7200 = x * (3x) * h\).
Step 5 :Solve for \(h\) in terms of \(x\): \(h = \frac{2400}{x^2}\).
Step 6 :Substitute the expressions for \(y\) and \(h\) into the surface area equation: \(S = 2(x(3x) + x(\frac{2400}{x^2}) + (3x)(\frac{2400}{x^2}))\).
Step 7 :Simplify the surface area equation: \(S = 2(3x^2 + 2400 + \frac{7200}{x})\).
Step 8 :Find the first derivative of \(S\) with respect to \(x\): \(S' = 12x - \frac{14400}{x^2}\).
Step 9 :Find the second derivative of \(S\) with respect to \(x\): \(S'' = 12 + \frac{28800}{x^3}\).
Step 10 :Find the critical points by setting \(S'\) equal to zero and solving for \(x\): \(x = 2 * 150^{\frac{1}{3}}\).
Step 11 :Use the second derivative test to confirm that the surface area is minimized at the critical point: \(S''(2 * 150^{\frac{1}{3}}) = 36 > 0\).
Step 12 :Find the dimensions of the box: width \(x = 2 * 150^{\frac{1}{3}}\), length \(y = 6 * 150^{\frac{1}{3}}\), and height \(h = 4 * 150^{\frac{1}{3}}\).
Step 13 :\(\boxed{\text{The height of the box with the smallest total surface area is } 4 * 150^{\frac{1}{3}} \text{ cm}}\).