@array=(2, 3, 1, 0); foreach (sort @array){ print "$_ - "; } print "\n"; print join " - ", @array; print "\n"; @array = sort @array; print join " - ", @array; __END__ Output: 0 - 1 - 2 - 3 - (printed in loop) 2 - 3 - 1 - 0 (after loop, still unsorted) 0 - 1 - 2 - 3 (after sorting, now sorted)