How do I get my num_digit function to give me the correct output and how do I get it to return any integer value in python? -

1. how num_digit function return 1 instead of 0 whenever put in 0 parameter in function?

2. how function return integer such negative numbers?

   def num_digits(n):     count = 0     while n:         count = count + 1         n = abs(n) / 10     return count 

i working on question number 2 first. if put abs(n) in line of code while is, still infinite loop still not understand why. figured if can n value positive , input in -24, convert 24 , still count number of values.

on question 1, not know start, ive tried:

def num_digits(n):     count = 0     while n:         if n == 0:             count = count + 1             n = n / 10     return count 

i forgot add have limited tools use since still learning python. have gotten iterations , studying while loops , counters. have not gotten break yet although have idea of does.

when in doubt, brute force available:

def num_digits(n):     if n == 0:         return 1     if n < 0:         return num_digits(abs(n))      count = 0     while n:         count = count + 1         n = n / 10     return count 

process exceptional cases first, , have deal regular ones.

if want avoid conditionals, suggest taking abs(n) once, @ beginning, , using infinite loop + break 0 case:

def num_digits(n):     n = abs(n)     count = 0     while true:         count = count + 1         n = n / 10         if n == 0:             break     return count 

for more practical solution, can either count number of digits in string (something len(str(n)) positive integers) or taking log base 10, mathematical way of counting digits.