Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2009 / ii / Paper 2 / 20H / i / Solution

Choose a nonzero integral ideal $I$ in the inverse of any desired ideal class. For the nonzero element $x\in I$ supplied by the norm bound, $J=(x)I^{-1}$ is integral, belongs to the desired class and satisfiesThere are only finitely many integral ideals of bounded norm: identify ${\mathcal{O}}_K$ with ${\mathbb{Z}}^n$ as an additive group, so ideals of norm $m$ are among its subgroups of index $m$, of which there are finitely many. Since every ideal class has one of these bounded-norm representatives, the ideal class group is finite.