# make an inverse hash my %StateAbbreviation = reverse %StateName; # exists ( $hash{$key} ) $State = 'Quebec'; # QC if (exists($StateAbbreviation{$State})) { print "The abbreviation for $State is " . $StateAbbreviation{$State} . "\.\n\n"; } else { print $State . " is not a state! (yet)\n\n"; } print "\n";