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## CGAL::Line_2<Kernel>

### Definition

An object l of the data type Line_2<Kernel> is a directed straight line in the two-dimensional Euclidean plane 2. It is defined by the set of points with Cartesian coordinates (x,y) that satisfy the equation l : ax + by + c = 0

The line splits 2 in a positive and a negative side. A point p with Cartesian coordinates (px, py) is on the positive side of l, iff a px + b py + c > 0, it is on the negative side of l, iff a px + b py + c < 0. The positive side is to the left of l.

### Creation

Line_2<Kernel> l ( Kernel::RT a, Kernel::RT b, Kernel::RT c);
| introduces a line l with the line equation in Cartesian coordinates ax +by +c = 0.
Line_2<Kernel> l ( Point_2<Kernel> p, Point_2<Kernel> q);
| introduces a line l passing through the points p and q. Line l is directed from p to q.
Line_2<Kernel> l ( Point_2<Kernel> p, Direction_2<Kernel> d);
| introduces a line l passing through point p with direction d.
Line_2<Kernel> l ( Point_2<Kernel> p, Vector_2<Kernel> v);
| introduces a line l passing through point p and oriented by v.
Line_2<Kernel> l ( Segment_2<Kernel> s);
| introduces a line l supporting the segment s, oriented from source to target.
Line_2<Kernel> l ( Ray_2<Kernel> r);
| introduces a line l supporting the ray r, with same orientation.

### Operations

bool | l.operator== ( h)
|  | Test for equality: two lines are equal, iff they have a non empty intersection and the same direction.
bool | l.operator!= ( h)
|  | Test for inequality.
Kernel::RT | l.a () | returns the first coefficient of l.
Kernel::RT | l.b () | returns the second coefficient of l.
Kernel::RT | l.c () | returns the third coefficient of l.
Point_2<Kernel> | l.point ( int i) | returns an arbitrary point on l. It holds point(i) == point(j), iff i==j. Furthermore, l is directed from point(i) to point(j), for all i < j.
Point_2<Kernel> | l.projection ( Point_2<Kernel> p)
|  | returns the orthogonal projection of p onto l.
Kernel::FT | l.x_at_y ( Kernel::FT y)
|  | returns the x-coordinate of the point at l with given y-coordinate. Precondition: l is not horizontal.
Kernel::FT | l.y_at_x ( Kernel::FT x)
|  | returns the y-coordinate of the point at l with given x-coordinate. Precondition: l is not vertical.

### Predicates

bool | l.is_degenerate () | line l is degenerate, if the coefficients a and b of the line equation are zero.
bool | l.is_horizontal ()
bool | l.is_vertical ()
Oriented_side | l.oriented_side ( Point_2<Kernel> p)
|  | returns ON_ORIENTED_BOUNDARY, ON_NEGATIVE_SIDE, or the constant ON_POSITIVE_SIDE, depending on the position of p relative to the oriented line l.

For convenience we provide the following boolean functions:

bool | l.has_on ( Point_2<Kernel> p)
bool | l.has_on_positive_side ( Point_2<Kernel> p)
bool | l.has_on_negative_side ( Point_2<Kernel> p)

### Miscellaneous

Vector_2<Kernel> | l.to_vector () | returns a vector having the direction of l.
Direction_2<Kernel>
| l.direction () | returns the direction of l.
Line_2<Kernel> | l.opposite () | returns the line with opposite direction.
Line_2<Kernel> | l.perpendicular ( Point_2<Kernel> p)
|  | returns the line perpendicular to l and passing through p, where the direction is the direction of l rotated counterclockwise by 90 degrees.
Line_2<Kernel> | l.transform ( Aff_transformation_2<Kernel> t)
|  | returns the line obtained by applying t on a point on l and the direction of l.

### Example

Let us first define two Cartesian two-dimensional points in the Euclidean plane 2. Their dimension and the fact that they are Cartesian is expressed by the suffix _2 and the representation type Cartesian.

      Point_2< Cartesian<double> >  p(1.0,1.0), q(4.0,7.0);

To define a line l we write:

      Line_2< Cartesian<double> > l(p,q);

### See Also

Kernel::Line_2

Next: Point_2<Kernel>

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The CGAL Project . Tue, December 21, 2004 .