use Math::BigFloat; $big = Math::BigFloat->bzero; $Problem = "12 - 5"; $Problem =~ /^(\d+)\s(\S)\s(\d+)$/; ($Number1, $Operator, $Number2) = ($1, $2, $3); $Answer = ($big + $Number1)->${\("(" . $Operator)}($Number2); print $Answer, "\n";