Gaussian Integers

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I finished my number theory course in June, but there was always one question (luckily that didn't appear on my exam) that I never knew how to even attempt. It was:

Suppose $\alpha$ is a non-zero Gaussian integer. Prove that there are only finitely many congruence classes modulo $\alpha$. Obtain an upper bound for the number of such classes in terms of $\alpha$.

I was just wondering what would have been the root to take with this question because even though I've finished the course, I'd like to actually see how to do it.

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Hint: Consider the square with corners $0,\alpha,i\alpha,(1+i)\alpha$. Show the every equivalence class has a representative in this square (including the border.)

Or, if you know the division algorithm in $\mathbb Z[i]$, you can use that.