for ($i = 0; $i <= 999; $i++) { if ($i < 10) { $var_name = "candidates00$i"; } elsif ($i < 100) { $var_name = "candidates0$i"; } else { $var_name = "candidates$i"; } for ($j = 0; $j <= 999; $j++) { if ($j !=0) { print ","; } if ($j < 10) { $var_name2 = "candidates00$j"; } elsif ($j < 100) { $var_name2 = "candidates0$j"; } else { $var_name2 = "candidates$j"; } $result = $$var_name->subtract($$var_name2); print $result->normalizing(); #if($j == 0) { print ","; } } print "\n"; }