my $sign = "";
my $number = -0.000001;

my $example = sprintf("%.5f", $number);
#$example = $number; #uncomment this, to remove the initial rounding

print "A. Started with : $example \n";
if ($example < 0) {
    $example = -$example;    
    $sign = "-";

    print "B. Less than zero: changed to  $example \n";
}

print "C. the number is $example \n";
if ($example == 0 )
{
    print "D1. the number ($example) is equal to zero, removing the sign.\n";
    $example *= -1; #(couldn't hurt, it's zero)
    print "D2. the number ($example) is equal to zero, removing the sign.\n";
    $sign = '';
}

print "E. proceeding to sprint $example with sign $sign .\n";
$tret = sprintf("rounded float: %s%7.5f : unrounded %7.5f", $sign, $example, $number);
print "$tret \n";