Answer:
No
Step-by-step explanation:
An exponent signifies the number of times the base is a factor in the product. When products involving the same base are multiplied, the total number of factors is the sum of the number in each of those products.
__
[tex]5^2=5\cdot5\\\\5^9=5\cdot5\cdot5\cdot5\cdot5\cdot5\cdot5\cdot5\cdot5\\\\5^2\cdot5^9=(5\cdot5)\cdot(5\cdot5\cdot5\cdot5\cdot5\cdot5\cdot5\cdot5\cdot5)=5^{11}[/tex]
The base of the exponent in the product is the value that is a repeated factor. It is 5, not (5·5).
Your friend is not correct.
__
The general rule for exponents is ...
(a^b)(a^c) = a^(b+c)
