###############################
# STRING CONCAT FUNCTION      #
#     BY DR JONATHAN REES     #
###############################

##</code><code>##

$l = 5;        # $l defines the number of asterisks

##</code><code>##

&concat($l);    # calls the sub concat passing the 
        # number of concatenations in $l

##</code><code>##

print $i;    # prints the result

##</code><code>##

sub concat     {
...
        }

##</code><code>##

    my $val = $_[0] + 1; 
    for ($k = 1 ; $k < $val ; $k++){ $i = $i.$sym; }

##</code><code>##

    my $i = '';
    for (1 .. $_[0]) { $i = $i . $sym }

##</code><code>##

# Concatenate a number of symbols.

print concat('abc', 5), $/;

sub concat {
    my $i = '';
    for (1 .. $_[1]) { $i = $i . $_[0] }
    return $i;
}