Final answer:
After subtracting the cost of popcorn and drinks from Elisa's maximum budget, the remaining amount can buy 10 tickets. Including Elisa, she can take 9 friends to the movies, making answer C (9 friends) the correct choice.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine how many friends Elisa can take to the movies, we need to consider both the cost of the tickets and the cost of popcorn and drinks. Elisa can spend no more than $120, and we know that the popcorn and drinks will cost $40. Therefore, we need to subtract the cost of popcorn and drinks from the total amount she can spend to find out how much money is left for the movie tickets.
- Subtract the cost of popcorn and drinks from the total amount: $120 - $40 = $80.
- Divide the remaining amount by the cost of one ticket to determine the number of tickets Elisa can buy: $80 ÷ $8 = 10.
Since Elisa also goes to the movie, we need to subtract one ticket for her, meaning she can take 10 - 1 = 9 friends with her to the movies. The correct answer is C. 9 friends.