To calculate the number of characters including spaces, one can iterate through the entire character string and count each individual character, including the spaces. This approach ensures that every character, regardless of type, is accounted for accurately. If one wishes to calculate the number of characters without spaces, they can subtract the number of spaces from the total count, resulting in the desired value. Additionally, to count the number of words, the text can be broken down by spaces, and then the count of these pieces can be determined to ascertain the total number of words present in the given text.