  We introduce the notion of a Schmidt number of a bipartite density matrix,
characterizing the minimum Schmidt rank of the pure states that are needed to
construct the density matrix. We prove that Schmidt number is nonincreasing
under local quantum operations and classical communication. We show that
$k$-positive maps witness Schmidt number, in the same way that positive maps
witness entanglement. We show that the family of states which is made from
mixing the completely mixed state and a maximally entangled state have
increasing Schmidt number depending on the amount of maximally entangled state
that is mixed in. We show that Schmidt number {\it does not necessarily
increase} when taking tensor copies of a density matrix $\rho$; we give an
example of a density matrix for which the Schmidt numbers of $\rho$ and $\rho
\otimes \rho$ are both 2.
