@mydata = ( "Simpson:Homer:1-800-000-0000:40:M", "Simpson:Marge:1-800-111-1111:38:F", "Simpson:Bart:1-800-222-2222:11:M", "Simpson:Lisa:1-800-333-3333:9:F", "Simpson:Maggie:1-800-444-4444:2:F" ); foreach ( @mydata ) { ( $last, $first, $phone, $age ) = split ( /:/ ); print "You may call $age year old $first $last at $phone.\n"; }