The most obvious solution is to convert it to string and count characters. Boring.
num = 6969
# Meh.
num.to_s.length #=> 4
Imagine Ruby is C now and has no strings. What you gonna do?
num = 6969
len = 0
# Hm...
begin
len += 1
end while (num /= 10) > 0
p len #=> 4
It turns out math can be useful. There’s another way to solve the problem. It has a flaw, though: it doesn’t support negative integers.
num = 6969
# Wow.
Math.log10(num).floor.succ #=> 4
num = -6969
# Ouch.
Math.log10(num).floor.succ #=> Math::DomainError: Numerical argument is out of domain - "log10"
It doesn’t? Well-well, my teacher said that math can deal with everything.
num = -6969
# Cool.
Math.log10(num.abs).floor.succ #=> 4
num = 0
# Oh!
Math.log10(num.abs).floor.succ #=> FloatDomainError: -Infinity
With everything? Mhm, with help of Ruby.
num = 0
# Mhm.
Math.log10(num.zero? && 1 || num.abs).floor.succ #=> 1