During a game of tug-of-war, your teacher states that your team's current position is - 5 steps. What does this statement mean?

If you are talking about (-) negative and (+) positive that - 5 (negative five) means that your - 5 steps to the left. Because negative numbers are always to the left and positive numbers are always to the right.

-5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5+

-5 is where you are.