my $max = $#arr1; $max = $#arr2 if $#arr2 < $max; foreach my $i (0 .. $max) { push @add, $arr1[$i] unless $arr1[$i] == $arr2[$i]; } if ($max < $#arr1) { push @add, $arr1[$_] for ($max .. $#arr1); } elsif ($max < $#arr2) { push @add, $arr2[$_] for ($max .. $#arr2); }