[samiam]

Given Zn(OH)₄^2-    Zn(s) in basic solution the number of electrons in balanced half reaction is?
now I know you can just add 4 oh to the right to balance but this does not make sense to me.

Normally the process of balancing involves balancing the two half reactions as you would in an acidic solution so with h20 and h^+ and than add the two half reactions and add Oh^- to cancel out H^+

[narutodemonkill]

 
your saying why don't you balance it as you would an acid first..
than add the oh^- and to cancel out the H^+
I'm not sure

[Borek]

now I know you can just add 4 oh to the right to balance but this does not make sense to me.

If you add 4OH^- on the right, equation is not balanced.