Thanks.

Thanks. Benefit a lot

Multiplication is working normally (as in, the way Mathematica intends for it to work).

Try

5  List
(* 5 List *)

List is a built in function, and it definitely has defined behavior when applied to arguments (aka DownValues), but when encountered in isolation, it's just a symbol. In the expression Subscript*5, Subscript appears as an isolated symbol--it's not the head of any expression. So, Mathematica looks at OwnValues, finds nothing, and leaves Subscript alone.

Try 5 Table or 5 Integrate or any other symbol that has no OwnValues. The multiplication cannot be resolved further so you just end up with 5 symbol.

When Mathematica encounters an isolated symbol, it consults OwnValues not DownValues to figure out what to do. Mathematica looks for DownValues when the symbol is the head of an expression.

Thanks. I am still a little confused. When there is a value in DownValues, multiplication should work normally.

Here's what you posted:

Subscript[a, 0] = 2
Information[Subscript]
Superscript*5

You created a definition for Subscript, but later you used Superscript. So, let's assume that the following is what you intended:

Subscript[a, 0] = 2
Information[Subscript]
Subscript*5

You get

5 Subscript

Why? Just forget about Subscript for a minute. What if you used a custom symbol:

JustASymbol[a, 0] = 2;
JustASymbol*5
(* 5 JustASymbol *)

It's the same thing. You defined a rule for a function-like expression. You defined DownValues. If you want a symbol itself to have a definition, you need to define OwnValues.

SomeOtherSymbol = 2;
SomeOtherSymbol*5
(* 10 *)

And you can even do this with Subscript

Subscript = 77;
Subscript*5
(* 385 *)

But beware, if you have both OwnValues and DownValues for a symbol, they will produce results that you probably didn't expect.

Thanks. Learned a lot.

Just adding more explanation to what Marvin provided. Let's start with.

Subscript[a, 0] = 2

What has happened is that you've set DownValues for Subscript. You haven't set anything for a. One way to see this is to use Information.

Information[a]
(* You'll see that there are no definitions shown for a *)

Information[Subscript]
(* You'll see that Subscript[a,0] is set to 2 *)

Even though Subscript is a built in symbol, it has no definitions attached to it by default, and it is not Protected, which means you can set/override its definitions. So, it's effectively the same as just defining your own custom function.

MyFunction[a, 0] = 2

And if you tried to Clear that, you'd get the same message.

Clear[MyFunction[a, 0]]

So, to get rid of the Subscript[a,0] = 2 definition, you can use Unset as Marvin showed you. Alternatively, you can just clear all definitions associated with Subscript:

Clear[Subscript]

But that would get rid of any other definitions for Subscript as well.

Thanks. That is a good way. But why can variable be assigned but can't be cleared by Clear?