# Problems with symbolic expression from Solve[]

I have an equation which is solved by Solve[].

When I define the variables with real numbers, I get an exact solution. However, when I'm trying to use the symbolic expression for the solution, I replace (/.) the variables, and this time, I don't get any solution.

So, when I use :=, the solution exists, when I use /., the solution is 'Indeterminate', but the numbers are the same in both cases.

I need to use the symbolic expression for the solution, because I would like to solve this equation outside Mathematica.

Code:

ClearAll["Global*"]

pBE := {u1[1], u1[2], u1[3]}
pBH := {u1[4], u1[5], u1[6]}
zBE := {u2[1], u2[2], u2[3]}
zBH := {u2[4], u2[5], u2[6]}
nBE := {u3[1], u3[2], u3[3]}

subst := {
u1[1] -> 192.2,
u1[2] -> 47,
u1[3] -> 0.5,
u1[4] -> 189.8,
u1[5] -> 47,
u1[6] -> 0.5,
u2[1] -> 0.25,
u2[2] -> -0.97,
u2[3] -> 0,
u2[4] -> 0,
u2[5] -> -1,
u2[6] -> 0,
u3[1] -> 0,
u3[2] -> 0,
u3[3] -> 1}

(*u1[1]:=192.2
u1[2]:=47
u1[3]:=0.5
u1[4]:=189.8
u1[5]:=47
u1[6]:=0.5
u2[1]:=0.25
u2[2]:=-0.97
u2[3]:=0
u2[4]:=0
u2[5]:=-1
u2[6]:=0
u3[1]:=0
u3[2]:=0
u3[3]:=1*)

eq3 := pBE + zBE*x1 == pBH + zBH*x2 + nBE*x3
sol3 := Solve[eq3, {x1, x2, x3}]

rBE := zBE*x1 /. sol3
rBE /. subst


Comment in and out the second 'list' with the defined variables.

Images of the two cases:

You are getting 0/0 indeterminate forms, just like you would get for something like:

(a^2-b^2)/(a-b)/.{a->2, b->2}


Power::infy: Infinite expression 1/0 encountered.

Infinity::indet: Indeterminate expression 0 ComplexInfinity encountered.

Indeterminate

One possibility to avoid this is to use Cancel:

Cancel[rBE] /. subst
`

{{-2.4, 9.312, 0.}}