sub max {
    my ($max, @vars) = @_;
    for (@vars) {
        $max = $_ if $_ > $max;
    }
    return $max;
}
##</code><code>##

sub max {
    my ($max, $next, @vars) = @_;
    return $max if not $next;
    return max( $max > $next ? $max : $next, @vars );
}