The equation \(-20 ÷ -4 = 5\) indicates that the lake decreased by a total of 20 inches, and since it decreased by 4 inches each week, dividing the total decrease by the weekly decrease gives 5.
Therefore, the best description of the meaning of 5 is:
The time it takes the lake to decrease by 20 inches is 5 weeks.
So the correct response is:
The time it takes the lake to decrease by 20 inches is 5 weeks.