Quote

printf FORMAT, LIST
Equivalent to "print FILEHANDLE sprintf(FORMAT, LIST)", except
that "$\" (the output record separator) is not appended. The
first argument of the list will be interpreted as the "printf"
format. See "sprintf" for an explanation of the format argu-
ment. If "use locale" is in effect, the character used for the
decimal point in formatted real numbers is affected by the
LC_NUMERIC locale. See perllocale.

Don't fall into the trap of using a "printf" when a simple
"print" would do. The "print" is more efficient and less error
prone.