[Chapter 2] Scalar Data
Author: Randal Schwartz, Tom Christiansen & Larry Wall
Date: 1999-07-02T01:30:55Z

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| Chapter 2 |

# 2. Scalar Data

Contents:
What Is Scalar Data?
Numbers
Strings
Scalar Operators
Scalar Variables
Scalar Operators and Functions
<STDIN> as a Scalar Value
Output with print
The Undefined Value
Exercises

## 2.1 What Is Scalar Data?

A scalar is the simplest kind of data that Perl manipulates. A scalar is either a number (like 4 or 3.25e20) or a string of characters (like `hello` or the Gettysburg Address). Although you may think of numbers and strings as very different things, Perl uses them nearly interchangeably, so we'll describe them together.

A scalar value can be acted upon with operators (like plus or concatenate), generally yielding a scalar result. A scalar value can be stored into a scalar variable. Scalars can be read from files and devices and written out as well.

1.6 Exercise |  | 2.2 Numbers