use Data::Dump; dd $data_to_sum[0]->[$c], $divide_by; $data_to_sum[0]->[$c] /= $divide_by if $divide_by; print $data_to_sum[0]->[$c], "\n"; __END__ ("", 123) 0 #### use Data::Dumper; $Data::Dumper::Useqq=1; print Dumper($data_to_sum[0]->[$c], $divide_by); $data_to_sum[0]->[$c] /= $divide_by if $divide_by; print $data_to_sum[0]->[$c], "\n"; __END__ $VAR1 = ""; $VAR2 = 123; Argument "" isn't numeric in division (/) at ... 0