public function lineTest( test_ellipse:Geometry_Ellipse, test_line:Geometry_Line ):Object {
        // get the variables that define the line and ellipse
        var m:Number = test_line.getSlope();
        var c:Number = test_line.getY_Intercept();
        var a:Number = this.getRadius_X();
        var b:Number = this.getRadius_Y();

        // check for division by 0 and sqrt of negative values
        if( (b*b)+(m*a)*(m*a)-(c*c) >= 0 && (b*b)+(m*a)*(m*a) != 0 ) {
            // get intersection points
            var point_1:Geometry_Coordinate = new Geometry_Coordinate(
                ( (m*c*a)*(m*c*a) + (a*b)*Math.sqrt((b*b)+(m*a)*(m*a)-(c*c)) ) / ( (b*b)+(m*a)*(m*a) ),
                ( (c*b)*(c*b) - ((m*a)*b)*Math.sqrt((b*b)+(m*a)*(m*a)-(c*c)) ) / ( (b*b)+(m*a)*(m*a) ),
                0
            );
            var point_2:Geometry_Coordinate = new Geometry_Coordinate(
                ( (m*c*a)*(m*c*a) - (a*b)*Math.sqrt((b*b)+(m*a)*(m*a)-(c*c)) ) / ( (b*b)+(m*a)*(m*a) ),
                ( (c*b)*(c*b) + ((m*a)*b)*Math.sqrt((b*b)+(m*a)*(m*a)-(c*c)) ) / ( (b*b)+(m*a)*(m*a) ),
                0
            );

            // check if points are on line segment
            // ...

            return { "result":true, "points":new Array(point_1, point_2) };
        } else {
            trace("no real values");
        }

        return { "result":false, "points":new Array() };
    }