Keywords:
				
				
																		Distance-regular graph, 													Q-polynomial association scheme															
			
			
										
					
Abstract
					We show an inequality involving the third largest or second smallest dual eigenvalues of $Q$-polynomial association schemes of class at least three. Also we characterize dual-tight $Q$-polynomial association schemes of class three. Our method is based on tridiagonal matrices and can be applied to distance-regular graphs as well.