docs: def get_SCAT_box(slope, x_mean, y_mean, beta_threshold = .1):
      """
      takes in data and returns information about SCAT box:
      the largest possible x_value, the largest possible y_value,
      and functions for the two bounding lines of the box
      """
      # if beta_threshold is -999, that means null
      if beta_threshold == -999:
          beta_threshold = .1
      slope_err_threshold = abs(slope) * beta_threshold
      x, y = x_mean, y_mean
      # get lines that pass through mass center, with opposite slope
      slope1 =  slope + (2* slope_err_threshold)
      line1_y_int = y - (slope1 * x)
      line1_x_int = -1 * (old_div(line1_y_int, slope1))
      slope2 = slope - (2 * slope_err_threshold)
      line2_y_int = y - (slope2 * x)
      line2_x_int = -1 * (old_div(line2_y_int, slope2))
          # l1_y_int and l2_x_int form the bottom line of the box
          # l2_y_int and l1_x_int form the top line of the box
  #    print "_diagonal line1:", (0, line2_y_int), (line2_x_int, 0), (x, y)
  #    print "_diagonal line2:", (0, line1_y_int), (line1_x_int, 0), (x, y)
  #    print "_bottom line:", [(0, line1_y_int), (line2_x_int, 0)]
  #    print "_top line:", [(0, line2_y_int), (line1_x_int, 0)]
      low_bound = [(0, line1_y_int), (line2_x_int, 0)]
      high_bound = [(0, line2_y_int), (line1_x_int, 0)]
      x_max = high_bound[1][0]#
      y_max = high_bound[0][1]
      # function for low_bound
      low_slope = old_div((low_bound[0][1] - low_bound[1][1]), (low_bound[0][0] - low_bound[1][0])) #
      low_y_int = low_bound[0][1]
      def low_bound(x):
          y = low_slope * x + low_y_int
          return y
      # function for high_bound
      high_slope = old_div((high_bound[0][1] - high_bound[1][1]), (high_bound[0][0] - high_bound[1][0])) # y_0-y_1/x_0-x_1
      high_y_int = high_bound[0][1]
      def high_bound(x):
          y = high_slope * x + high_y_int
          return y
      high_line = [high_y_int, high_slope]
      low_line = [low_y_int, low_slope]
      return low_bound, high_bound, x_max, y_max, low_line, high_line