function x = vecNorm(a)
% vecNorm - compute the Euclidian norm of a vector in R2
%   
% 
%   Syntax: 
%           x = vecNorm(a)
%   Arguments: 
%           a - the vector
%   Returns: 
%           x - the norm of the vector
%           
%   Description:
%
%           Compute the norm of the vector a 
%           |a| = (a.a)^(1/2)
%
%   See also:
%

%----------------------------------------------------------------------
%   Bugs:
%
%   Date created: 
%          990910
%   Author:
%          Marten Levenstam
%
%   Change history:
%
%                              +---------------------------------------+ 
%                              |     Matematik Kf/Kb 1999-2000         | 
%                              |     Copyright (c) 1999                | 
%                              |                                       | 
%                              |     Marten Levenstam                  | 
%                              |     Klas Samuelsson                   | 
%                              |     Dep. of Mathematics               | 
%                              |     Chalmers University of Technology | 
%                              |     S-412 96 Gothenburg               | 
%                              |     SWEDEN                            |     
%                              |     martenl@math.chalmers.se          |     
%                              |                                       |     
%------------------------------+---------------------------------------+
if vecIsInR2(a)
  x = sqrt(vecDot(a, a));
else
  error('vecPlot: a is not in R2');
end