#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

int string_length(char * my_string)
{
  int counter = 0;
  while(1)
  {
    if (my_string[counter] != 0)
    {
      counter++;
    }
    else
    {
      break;
    }
  }

  return counter;
}


int main()
{
  char * input = (char *) malloc(sizeof(char) * 1000);
  printf("enter a string:\n");
  scanf("%s", input); 

  int length = string_length(input);
  printf("the length of the string is %d\n", length);

  free(input);
}