#!/usr/local/bin/perl -w use strict; while () { chomp; my ($from, $to) = split /\s+/; my $diff = $to - $from; # get the difference ($from, $to) = ($to, $from) if $diff < 0; # error checking if (!$diff) { print "$from\n"; } else { $to = substr($to, length($to) - length($diff)) if length($diff) < length($from) and substr($from, 0, 1) eq substr($to, 0, 1); print "$from-$to\n"; } } __DATA__ 1 32 4 19 28 39 34 123 321 321 324 329 325 349 340 509 51 1 #### 1-32 4-19 28-39 34-123 321 324-9 325-49 340-509 1-51