#!/bin/awk { count=ind=1 chapters[ind]=$1 for(i=2;i<=NF;i++){ if($i>$count) chapters[ind]=chapters[ind]" "$i else chapters[++ind]=$i count++ } for(chapter in chapters) printf"Chapter%d: %s\n",chapter,chapters[chapter] } Example: [%] awk -f script <<< "30 33.993 76.123 0.6 43.234 87.234 130.345" Chapter1: 30 33.993 76.123 Chapter2: 0.6 43.234 87.234 130.345