while() { chomp; $_ =~ /(.*)\s+\=\+\s+(.*)/; $number = $1; $values = $2; #I am creating an array here @array = split " ", $2; #here I am creating a reference to the hash**@AOA is now reference to the original @array push @AOA, [@array]; } for $i ( 0 .. $#AOA ) { for $j ( 0 .. $#{ $AOA[$i] } ) { print "## $i $j is $AOA[$i][$j]\n"; } }