#!/bin/perl -w use strict; my $numbers="1 1.0 3.547 92.34 12 .25 23.00 23.01 343.2234"; # I guess that's what you were looking for while($numbers=~/(?## 1 is an integer 12 is an integer -------------------- 1 is an integer 12 is an integer -------------------- 1 is an integer 12 is an integer -------------------- 1 is an integer 1.0 is an integer 12 is an integer 25 is an integer 23.00 is an integer