Pete has 4 packs of gum balls, and each pack contains 5 gum balls. To find the total number of gum balls Pete has, we multiply the number of packs by the number of gum balls per pack:
\[ 4 \text{ packs} \times 5 \text{ gum balls/pack} = 20 \text{ gum balls} \]
If Pete gives the same number of gum balls to 6 friends, we need to divide the total number of gum balls by the number of friends:
\[ \frac{20 \text{ gum balls}}{6 \text{ friends}} \approx 3.33 \]
Since each friend can only receive a whole number of gum balls, Pete can give each friend 3 gum balls, and he will have some gum balls left over. Specifically, if each of the 6 friends gets 3 gum balls, that totals:
\[ 3 \text{ gum balls/friend} \times 6 \text{ friends} = 18 \text{ gum balls} \]
Subtracting that from the total, Pete will have:
\[ 20 \text{ gum balls} - 18 \text{ gum balls} = 2 \text{ gum balls left} \]
Thus, each friend can receive 3 gum balls, which corresponds with the answer options provided.
Therefore, the answer is 3.