diff --git a/src/compiler/core.ts b/src/compiler/core.ts
index ec171d4aee2..db16975b0fe 100644
--- a/src/compiler/core.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/core.ts
@@ -193,6 +193,13 @@ namespace ts {
         return array[array.length - 1];
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Performs a binary search, finding the index at which 'value' occurs in 'array'.
+     * If no such index is found, returns the 2's-complement of first index at which
+     * number[index] exceeds number.
+     * @param array A sorted array whose first element must be no larger than number
+     * @param number The value to be searched for in the array.
+     */
     export function binarySearch(array: number[], value: number): number {
         let low = 0;
         let high = array.length - 1;
@@ -805,4 +812,4 @@ namespace ts {
             Debug.assert(false, message);
         }
     }
-}
+}
diff --git a/src/compiler/scanner.ts b/src/compiler/scanner.ts
index 9122cadc287..2e692470cc5 100644
--- a/src/compiler/scanner.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/scanner.ts
@@ -320,13 +320,20 @@ namespace ts {
 
     /* @internal */
     export function computeLineAndCharacterOfPosition(lineStarts: number[], position: number) {
+        Debug.assert(lineStarts.length && lineStarts[0] === 0, "the first line should start at position 0");
+        Debug.assert(0 <= position, "position should be positive");
+        
         let lineNumber = binarySearch(lineStarts, position);
         if (lineNumber < 0) {
             // If the actual position was not found,
-            // the binary search returns the negative value of the next line start
+            // the binary search returns the 2's-complement of the next line start
             // e.g. if the line starts at [5, 10, 23, 80] and the position requested was 20
-            // then the search will return -2
+            // then the search will return -2.
+            //
+            // We want the index of the previous line start, so we subtract 1.
+            // Review 2's-complement if this is confusing.
             lineNumber = ~lineNumber - 1;
+            Debug.assert(lineNumber !== -1, "position cannot precede the beginning of the file");
         }
         return {
             line: lineNumber,
diff --git a/src/compiler/types.ts b/src/compiler/types.ts
index e0f16a00c2b..cdd814065c5 100644
--- a/src/compiler/types.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/types.ts
@@ -583,9 +583,9 @@ namespace ts {
      * Several node kinds share function-like features such as a signature,
      * a name, and a body. These nodes should extend FunctionLikeDeclaration.
      * Examples:
-     *  FunctionDeclaration
-     *  MethodDeclaration
-     *  AccessorDeclaration
+     * * FunctionDeclaration
+     * * MethodDeclaration
+     * * AccessorDeclaration
      */
     export interface FunctionLikeDeclaration extends SignatureDeclaration {
         _functionLikeDeclarationBrand: any;
@@ -1774,10 +1774,10 @@ namespace ts {
         StringLike = String | StringLiteral,
         NumberLike = Number | Enum,
         ObjectType = Class | Interface | Reference | Tuple | Anonymous,
-        UnionOrIntersection = Union | Intersection,
+        UnionOrIntersection = Union | Intersection,
         StructuredType = ObjectType | Union | Intersection,
         /* @internal */
-        RequiresWidening = ContainsUndefinedOrNull | ContainsObjectLiteral
+        RequiresWidening = ContainsUndefinedOrNull | ContainsObjectLiteral
     }
 
     // Properties common to all types