Comparison of $f(R,T)$ Gravity with Type Ia Supernovae Data

The expansion of the universe in $f(R,T)$ gravity is studied. By focusing on functions of the form $f(R,T)=f_1(R)+f_2(T)$, we assert that present day acceleration can be achieved if the functional form of $f_2(T)$ either grows slowly or falls as a function of $T$. In particular, we demonstrate that when $f_2(T) \propto T^{-1}$, the universe transitions to exponential growth at late times, just as it does in the standard cosmological model. A comparison of predictions of this model, with Type Ia supernovae shows that this model fits the data as well or even slightly better than the standard cosmological model without increasing the number of parameters.