diff --git a/gtsam/geometry/Line3.cpp b/gtsam/geometry/Line3.cpp
index a61cfc251..4982df7b1 100644
--- a/gtsam/geometry/Line3.cpp
+++ b/gtsam/geometry/Line3.cpp
@@ -78,13 +78,12 @@ Unit3 Line3::project(OptionalJacobian<2, 4> Dline) const {
     return l;
 }
 
-Point3 Line3::point(int scale) const {
+Point3 Line3::point(double distance) const {
     // defining "center" of the line to be the point where it
-    // intercepts rotated XY axis
+    // intersects rotated XY axis
     Point3 center(a_, b_, 0);
     Point3 rotated_center = R_ * center;
-    Point3 direction = (R_.r3()).normalized();
-    return rotated_center + scale * direction;
+    return rotated_center + distance * R_.r3();
 }
 
 Line3 transformTo(const Pose3 &wTc, const Line3 &wL,
diff --git a/gtsam/geometry/Line3.h b/gtsam/geometry/Line3.h
index 06637319e..a176039d5 100644
--- a/gtsam/geometry/Line3.h
+++ b/gtsam/geometry/Line3.h
@@ -84,12 +84,14 @@ public:
     Unit3 project(OptionalJacobian<2, 4> Dline = boost::none) const;
 
     /**
-     * Returns point on the line that is at a distance "scalestarting from the point where the rotated XY axis
-     * intersects the line, .
-     * @param scale
-     * @return
+     * Returns point on the line that is at a certain distance starting from the
+     * point where the rotated XY axis intersects the line.
+     * @param distance (can be positive or negative) - positive is the positive
+     * direction of the rotated z axis that forms the line. The default value of zero
+     * returns the point where the rotated XY axis intersects the line.
+     * @return Point on the line
      */
-    Point3 point(int scale = 0) const;
+    Point3 point(double distance = 0) const;
 
     /**
      * Transform a line from world to camera frame