Check is a point (x,y) is between two points drawn on a straight line

Question

I have drawn a line between two points A(x,y)---B(x,y) Now I have a third point C(x,y). I want to know that if C lies on the line which is drawn between A and B. I want to

Answer 1

I believe the simplest is

// is BC inline with AC or visa-versa
public static boolean inLine(Point A, Point B, Point C) {
   // if AC is vertical
   if (A.x == C.x) return B.x == C.x;
   // if AC is horizontal
   if (A.y == C.y) return B.y == C.y;
   // match the gradients
   return (A.x - C.x)*(A.y - C.y) == (C.x - B.x)*(C.y - B.y);
}

You can calculate the gradient by taking the difference in the x values divided by the difference in the y values.

Note: there is a different test to see if C appears on the line between A and B if you draw it on a screen. Maths assumes that A, B, C are infinitely small points. Actually very small to within representation error.