why isnt counter counting past 2

Question

function persistence(num) {
var x, y, product = 1,counter = 0,
product2 = 1 /*Product of numbers if first set does not result in solution */;

x = num.toString().length; //length of inputed number
y = num; //The inputed Number
//Check the Number
if (x > 0){
console.log('Continue');
y= y.toString();

for(var i = 0; i < y.length; i++ ){
product *= y[i];

}
p = product.toString().length; //Length of product
p2 = product2.toString().length; // length of product after iteration
counter++;
if(p == 1){
;
console.log('Ive Found the Multiplicative persistant Edward, it is: ' + counter);

return counter;
}
else{

while(p != 1){
counter++;
product = product.toString();
for(i = 0; i < p; i++){
product2 *= product[i];
}

if(p2 == 1){
console.log('Ive Found the Multiplicative persistant Edward, it is: ' );

return counter;

}

}

}
}
else('Not Enough Digits To determine')
}
var output = persistence(239);
console.log(output);

Answer 1

Maybe counter++ belongs in the for loop

Answer 2

Edward

There are several problems with your code-
p and p2 are not updated as it should in the while loop
product2 should be reset to 1 everytime the code is iterated
and once the for loop inside of the while loop is finished product should equal product2 [product = product2].

But the main problem is you are overthinking this.

Multiplicative Persistence - Multiply all the digits of a number n by each other, repeating with the product until a single digit is obtained. The number of steps required is known as the multiplicative persistence.

https://code.sololearn.com/W01vYga9U986/#js
https://code.sololearn.com/Wk9TGLNAM1W2/#js