A suitcase with measures 80 cm x 48 cm x 24 cm is to be covered with a tarpaulin cloth. How many metres of tarpaulin of width 96 cm is required to cover 100 such suitcases?

The dimensions of one suitcase are length $l = 80$ cm, breadth $b = 48$ cm, and height $h = 24$ cm.
The formula for the total surface area (TSA) of a cuboid is $2(lb + bh + hl)$.

$$\text{TSA}_{\text{suitcase}} = 2(80 \times 48 + 48 \times 24 + 24 \times 80)$$ $$\text{TSA}_{\text{suitcase}} = 2(3840 + 1152 + 1920)$$ $$\text{TSA}_{\text{suitcase}} = 2(6912)$$ $$\text{TSA}_{\text{suitcase}} = 13824 \text{ cm}^2$$

To cover 100 such suitcases, the total area of tarpaulin required will be 100 times the surface area of one suitcase.

$$\text{Total Area} = 100 \times 13824 \text{ cm}^2$$ $$\text{Total Area} = 1382400 \text{ cm}^2$$

The tarpaulin cloth has a width of 96 cm. Let its length be $L$.
The area of the tarpaulin must be equal to the total area required to cover 100 suitcases.

$$\text{Area of tarpaulin} = L \times \text{width}$$ $$1382400 \text{ cm}^2 = L \times 96 \text{ cm}$$ $$L = \frac{1382400}{96} \text{ cm}$$ $$L = 14400 \text{ cm}$$

Since $1 \text{ m} = 100 \text{ cm}$, we divide the length in cm by 100.

$$L = \frac{14400}{100} \text{ m}$$ $$L = 144 \text{ m}$$

The length of tarpaulin required is $\text{144 m}$.