Finite reflection decomposition of a Euclidean isometry

Every Euclidean isometry of ${\mathbb{R}}^n$ is a product of at most $n+1$ operations of reflection in a hyperplane. An isometry fixing zero is orthogonal: the polarization identity preserves inner products, and its values on an orthonormal basis determine its linear action. An orthogonal transformation is a product of at most $n$ linear reflections, by reflecting the image of the first basis vector back to that vector and inducting on its orthogonal complement. For an arbitrary isometry, first reflect its image of zero back to zero, if necessary, and apply the orthogonal result. Affine reflection hyperplanes, rather than only hyperplanes through zero, are essential here.

A product of $m$ reflections has $\mathrm{rank}(I-Q)\le m$, by the rank inequality applied successively to $I-AB=(I-A)+A(I-B)$. Conversely an orthogonal transformation fixes the orthogonal complement of its moved space; successive Householder reflections fix one new basis direction at each step in that moved space. At most its dimension $\mathrm{rank}(I-Q)$ are required. Thus central inversion in three dimensions needs exactly three reflections.