Whenever I go to do the CS slingshot it fails because for some reason I supposedly have to learn math first. Help please.

Try this:
Okay, beeline for Priesthood, then Mathematics (Priesthood is a prereq for Writing). Start The Oracle while in the middle of Mathematics; don't chop, just wait. Once Mathematics is online, switch to high-commerce tiles, then set research for Code of Laws. Time the +50% chops (from Math) to coincide with CoL completion, so that way the Oracle is done. Code of Laws can be grabbed before the Oracle is done as well, so just time the chops to finish the Oracle at the same time or a few turns after CoL is done.

^^^ Also, on mid-to-high levels it won't work unless you have 1-2+ gold pits or equivalent in your capital. Researching math + col is nigh impossible before the oracle is completed (ca. 1200AD monarch/normal) without it.

However, if you fail to have the necessary high-commerce tiles, just oracle CoL (easy) and beeline CS afterwards. I usually target 200AD in my games for CS.

They added Math to the loop in the expansions, the vanilla version still allows an effective CS slingshot at Monarch level. Perhaps this is where you are getting confused.