1. **State the problem:** Calculate the volume of a cylinder with length (height) $7.2$ cm and radius $2.5$ cm. 2. **Formula:** The volume $V$ of a cylinder is given by the formula: $$V = \pi r^2 h$$ where $r$ is the radius and $h$ is the height (length). 3. **Substitute the values:** $$V = \pi \times (2.5)^2 \times 7.2$$ 4. **Calculate the square of the radius:** $$V = \pi \times 6.25 \times 7.2$$ 5. **Multiply the radius squared by the height:** $$V = \pi \times 45$$ 6. **Calculate the volume using $\pi \approx 3.1416$:** $$V \approx 3.1416 \times 45 = 141.372$$ 7. **Final answer:** The volume of the cylinder is approximately $141.37$ cubic centimeters.