public int sumLimit(int a, int b) {
  int sum = a + b;

  String strSum = String.valueOf(sum);
  int lenSum = strSum.length();

  String strA = String.valueOf(a);
  int lenA = strA.length();

  if (lenA == lenSum) {
    return sum;
  }

  // if we've reached this point, then lenSum > lenA
  return a;
}